Random Encounter Table

One press rolls the d100 and reads the row: who is on the road and what they want.

050 · A cairn of stacked stones with one stone fallenCustom wants each traveler to add a stone. Add one, rebuild it, or pass by.

How it works

This random encounter table has 100 numbered rows for a journey, twenty for each of five terrains. Roll real dice on it as a d100 random encounter table, or press the button and use it as a random encounter generator.

Read the full guide

Roll with the button or with dice

The page opens on one row. Pick another encounter rolls again. Open Any terrain, choose one, and the roll stays inside its twenty rows. With real dice, roll a d100 and look the number up in the table under the tool.

What a row gives you

One line states the encounter. The note says what the other side wants and two or three ways to answer. There are no statistics, levels or treasure, so the table fits any rule system. People, weather, animals and creatures of folklore only; nobody on it is cruel.

Tips

Roll before the session and keep one row ready for each terrain on the route.
A row is a start: let the players' answer decide what happens next.

Questions and answers

How do I roll a d100?

Roll two ten-sided dice together, one marked 0 to 9 and one marked 00 to 90, and add them. A 40 and a 7 is row 47. A 00 and a 0 is read as 100. Or press the button.

What is a random encounter?

In role-playing games it is a meeting or a danger that turns up by chance while the characters travel, usually decided by the game master rolling dice against a table. Older tables list monsters; this one lists people, weather, animals and puzzles.

Does the table work with any game system?

Yes. No row has statistics, levels, difficulty numbers or treasure. Each gives a situation and what the other side wants, so the game master sets any rolls. It also works as a story prompt with no game at all.

All 100 encounters

Road (1 to 20) 20

001 · A toll keeper at a gate that was not here last month He wants two coins a head, or news worth as much. Pay, bargain, or find the way round through the field.
002 · A cart with a broken axle blocking the road The carter wants four strong arms for an hour. Help and arrive late, or squeeze past and be remembered for it.
003 · A milestone with the number scratched out Somebody wanted travelers to misjudge the distance. Trust the map, or ask at the next farm.
004 · A peddler asleep under a tree, pack wide open He wants nothing; he is asleep. Wake him, watch his goods until he wakes, or walk on.
005 · A fork in the road and a signpost lying flat Both arms name the same town. Set it upright by guessing, or wait for someone who knows.
006 · A shepherd driving three hundred sheep the other way She wants the road for a quarter of an hour. Wait, wade through, or help turn the stragglers.
007 · A sudden downpour and one barn in sight The farmer wants to know who is in the barn. Ask first, or shelter and explain later.

Show all 100 encounters (93 more)

Road (1 to 20), continued

008 · A messenger whose horse has gone lame She wants to borrow a mount and swears to return it. Lend it, carry the letter yourselves, or refuse.
009 · A ghost at a crossroads, asking the way home It wants directions to a village that changed its name long ago. Work out which, or point and hope.
010 · Two merchants arguing over a wheel rut Each wants a witness to say the other swerved. Take a side, split the blame, or slip past.
011 · A black dog that walks beside the party at dusk It wants only company as far as the next light. Let it, feed it, or try to shoo it.
012 · A wedding party that has lost its fiddler They want a tune, any tune, for the last mile. Play, sing badly, or point them to the next inn.
013 · A fallen tree across the road, freshly cut Someone wanted the road closed. Clear it, go round, or look for who is watching.
014 · A child selling plums at twice the fair price She wants to buy her brother a pair of boots. Pay, haggle, or teach her to haggle.
015 · A fog bank that sits on one stretch of road The fog wants nothing, but voices in it sound closer than they are. Rope together, wait it out, or take the hill path.
016 · A tinker who mends anything for a story He wants a story he has not heard. Tell a true one, a tall one, or pay in coin instead.
017 · A lost goose with a ribbon on its neck It wants to go home and knows the way. Follow it, carry it, or ask at each gate.
018 · A giant's footprint filled with rainwater Whoever made it wanted to go north. Follow the tracks, avoid them, or fill the water skins.
019 · A pilgrim walking the road backward She wants to keep a promise and may not explain it before sunset. Walk with her, or wonder.
020 · A stone bridge with a troll asleep beneath it It wants quiet. Tiptoe over, leave a gift on the rail, or wake it and ask the toll.

Forest (21 to 40) 20

021 · A ring of mushrooms wide enough to camp in Old stories say to ask before stepping in. Ask aloud, go round, or camp and see.
022 · A charcoal burner who has not seen a face in weeks He wants news and will trade a hot meal for it. Stop an hour, or wave and keep moving.
023 · Wolves keeping pace at the edge of sight They want the party off their ground by dark. Keep moving, light torches, or find what they guard.
024 · A will-o'-the-wisp bobbing between the trees It wants to be followed. Follow it, mark the trail as you go, or keep to the path.
025 · An owl that hoots once for every traveler It counts one more than the party. Check behind, count again, or laugh it off.
026 · A woodcutter who has dropped her axe in a pond She wants it back and cannot swim. Dive, dredge with a hook, or lend one of yours.
027 · A path that splits around an enormous oak A dryad is said to keep the tree, and wants a greeting. Greet it, go left, or go right.
028 · A deer with a bell tied round its neck Someone wanted to find it again. Follow the bell, untie it, or look for the owner.
029 · A hunter's shelter with a cold fire and a full pack Its owner wants to be found, or does not. Search, wait, or leave a note and go on.
030 · A stream too wide to jump and a log too thin to trust The crossing wants patience. Test the log, wade, or walk upstream to the stones.
031 · A hermit who offers tea and asks three riddles He wants a wrong answer he has not heard before. Play, decline politely, or ask him one back.
032 · A swarm of bees moving house across the trail They want twenty quiet minutes. Wait, detour through the brambles, or fetch the beekeeper.
033 · A unicorn drinking at a pool, not yet aware of you It wants to be left alone. Watch, back away, or step on a twig.
034 · A treehouse with its rope ladder pulled up The children inside want a password. Guess, bargain with sweets, or go round.
035 · A fallen nest and three loud chicks The parents want them back up the tree. Climb, build a shelf of branches, or stand guard a while.
036 · A brownie's bowl of milk left on a stump Whoever left it wants it untouched until morning. Leave it, add to it, or ask at the nearest cottage.
037 · Fresh blazes on the trees, pointing two ways Two foresters wanted two different trails. Pick the old cuts, the new cuts, or neither.
038 · A bear in the blackberries, between you and the path It wants the berries, all of them. Wait, sing loudly, or go the long way round.
039 · A lantern hanging in a tree, still lit Someone wants a traveler to see it. Call out, take it down, or leave it burning.
040 · A fairy market that is only there by moonlight The sellers want odd payment: a joke, a tune, a button. Trade with care, browse, or pass by.

Hills and mountains (41 to 60) 20

041 · A rockslide that has taken the lower path The mountain wants a detour. Climb over, clear a way, or take the goat track.
042 · A goatherd with his goats on the wrong side of a gorge He wants them back by dark. Find the crossing, call them over, or lend a rope.
043 · An echo that repeats the last word and adds one more It seems to want the last word. Shout a question, sing a round with it, or hurry on.
044 · A cave mouth with warm air and a sound of snoring A dragon wants its sleep, and the pass runs right by. Creep past, wait for evening, or find the high route.
045 · A signal fire laid but never lit The watchers who built it wanted a warning ready. Light it, leave it, or find out where they went.
046 · A dwarf prospector panning a cold stream She wants her claim kept quiet. Promise, trade for a meal, or ask what she found.
047 · A rope bridge with one frayed line The bridge wants one walker at a time. Cross singly, mend it first, or climb down and up.
048 · A snow squall on a pass with one stone hut The hut already holds a party who want the fire kept small. Share, bargain for wood, or push on.
049 · A griffin's nest on the cliff above the trail The parent wants no one beneath it. Wait until it flies, cover up and hurry, or go round.
050 · A cairn of stacked stones with one stone fallen Custom wants each traveler to add a stone. Add one, rebuild it, or pass by.
051 · A mule that refuses the next bend It wants a reason, and it may have one. Coax it, scout ahead, or unload and carry.
052 · A hot spring with a sign in an unknown script Whoever wrote it wanted to warn or to welcome. Test the water, copy the sign, or leave it.
053 · A giant sitting on a ridge, mending a boot It wants thread, a great deal of it. Offer rope, offer a song instead, or keep to the valley.
054 · A shepherd's hut, door open and soup on the fire The owner wants to be back before it burns. Stir it, wait, or go looking.
055 · A cloud that comes down and stays down The hill wants everyone to stop. Sit tight, follow the wall, or trust the compass.
056 · Two villages' boundary stones, a stride apart Each village wants the pasture between. Carry a message, measure it fairly, or stay out of it.
057 · An eagle that drops a fish at your feet It wants the fish back, or was aiming elsewhere. Leave it, cook it, or look up.
058 · A hermit's bell that rings when the wind is right The ringer wanted company once a year. Climb to visit, ring back, or note the place.
059 · A mine entrance with fresh tracks going in only Whoever went in wants light, by now. Call down, go in roped, or fetch help from below.
060 · A summit cairn with a book to sign The last climber wanted to be remembered. Sign, read the names, or add a stone.

River and coast (61 to 80) 20

061 · A ferry on the far bank and nobody answering the bell The ferryman wants his dinner finished. Ring again, shout an offer, or look for the ford.
062 · A ford that is a hand deeper than it should be The river wants the cautious to wait a day. Cross roped, wait, or go up to the bridge.
063 · A mermaid on a rock, working at a tangle of net She wants the net cut away. Help, call from a distance, or row on.
064 · A fisherman who has netted a bottle with a letter in it He wants it read, and cannot read. Read it truly, soften it, or deliver it for him.
065 · A lighthouse with its lamp out at dusk The keeper wants oil and has none. Share yours, climb and light a fire, or warn the harbor.
066 · A seal that follows the boat and watches too closely A selkie wants its coat, lost on this shore. Search the rocks, ask in the village, or wave.
067 · A tide coming in faster than the map said The sea wants the causeway back. Run, turn round, or climb the marker and wait.
068 · A boat adrift with a kettle still warm Its owner wanted to be gone in a hurry, or fell asleep ashore. Tow it, moor it, or search the bank.
069 · A heron that will not leave the only landing It wants the fish under the jetty. Wait, toss it one, or land in the reeds.
070 · A raft of logs jammed under a bridge The loggers want it freed before the water rises. Lend poles, fetch them, or cross quickly.
071 · A sea serpent's coils far out, moving north It wants nothing from the shore. Watch, sketch it, or tell a harbor that will not believe you.
072 · A beachcomber guarding a crate she cannot open She wants a share kept for her. Help open it, trade for it, or leave her to it.
073 · A water mill turning with nobody inside The miller wanted the grain done before leaving. Stop the wheel, bag the flour, or leave a note.
074 · A nixie in the mill pond who sings at dusk It wants an audience and a song in return. Listen, answer, or cross with your fingers in your ears.
075 · A sandbar that was not on the chart The river wants the boat lighter. Unload and drag, wait for rain, or pole back.
076 · A harbor chain raised early The harbor master wants a fee after dark. Pay, moor outside, or argue the hour.
077 · A child whose fishing line keeps getting pulled back Something below wants the bait and not the hook. Help pull, cut the line, or sit and watch.
078 · A storm coming and one sea cave above the tide line Somebody's bedroll is already inside. Share the cave, find another, or sit it out on the cliff.
079 · A stepping-stone crossing with one stone missing The gap wants a long stride or a plan. Jump, lay a plank, or wade.
080 · A message in shells laid out above the tide Whoever laid it wanted it read from the cliff. Climb and read, add an answer, or leave it whole.

Town and ruins (81 to 100) 20

081 · A gate guard who wants to know everyone's business He wants a reason he can write down. Tell the truth, tell a simpler one, or try the other gate.
082 · A market where every stall sells the same cheese The cheesemakers want a judge with no cousins in town. Judge, flee, or buy from all of them.
083 · A lamplighter who is one lamp short of oil She wants the last street lit before dark. Share oil, carry the ladder, or walk in the dark.
084 · A town crier who has lost his voice He wants the news cried by noon. Read it out, write it large, or ring the bell and point.
085 · A ruined tower with a new door Somebody wants the tower to look empty. Knock, watch from cover, or pass by.
086 · A dry fountain with coins still in it The town wants them left for luck. Leave them, add one, or find out why the water stopped.
087 · A cat that leads strangers to the same door Whoever lives there wants visitors and cannot go out. Knock, follow again tomorrow, or ask the neighbors.
088 · A goblin sweeping the steps of a ruined hall It wants shoes wiped before anyone goes in. Wipe them, ask what it keeps, or use the window.
089 · A festival that shuts every road until the parade passes The town wants everyone to watch. Watch, join the end of it, or cut through the yards.
090 · A statue that faces a different way each morning The night watch wants to know who turns it. Sit up and watch, mark its base, or blame the frost.
091 · A locked library with the librarian asleep inside She wants not to be woken before the bell. Wait, tap the glass, or come back.
092 · A well whose bucket comes up full of frogs The frogs want the pond they came from. Carry them there, ask who put them in, or draw again.
093 · A ghost in a ruined kitchen, still setting the table It wants the guests to sit down. Sit, lay the last place, or back out politely.
094 · A bridge with a shop on it and a line out the door The baker wants exact change. Queue, send one of you in, or cross hungry.
095 · An old wall with a child's map chalked on it The mapmaker wanted somebody to find the X. Follow it, add to it, or ask the children.
096 · A sundial in a ruined courtyard that runs an hour fast Whoever set it wanted to be early. Turn it, trust it, or ask who comes here.
097 · A night market that sells only to people in masks The sellers want no names. Borrow a mask, make one, or shop by day.
098 · A bell tower whose bell rings one stroke too many The ringer wants someone to notice. Climb and ask, count again tomorrow, or sleep through it.
099 · An inn with one bed left and two parties at the door The innkeeper wants no quarrel. Share, toss a coin, or take the stable.
100 · A gnome mending a garden wall at midnight It wants no thanks and no witnesses. Look away, leave a bowl of cream, or offer a hand.

How this list was compiled: An original table written for this page on 2026-09-30: all 100 rows and their notes are our own, and none is reworded from a rule book, a published adventure or another table. It is a d100 table for a journey in a fantasy world, written for no rule system: five terrains of twenty rows (road 1 to 20, forest 21 to 40, hills and mountains 41 to 60, river and coast 61 to 80, town and ruins 81 to 100). Each row states the encounter in one line; the note says what the other side wants and the choice it puts to the travelers. Rules: ordinary people, weather, animals and creatures of folklore only; no statistics, levels, difficulty numbers, treasure values or rule text; nobody on the table is cruel and no row is a fight that cannot be talked through or walked around. The row number is written with three digits so that the list under the tool, which the engine sorts as text, reads 1 to 100 in order. Creature words were checked on 2026-09-30 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_creatures_by_type, which lists every one used: ghost, black dog, giant, troll, will-o'-the-wisp, dryad, unicorn, brownie, fairy, dragon, dwarf, griffin, mermaid, selkie, sea serpent, nixie, goblin, gnome. No creature that belongs to one game is on the table. Screened by script the same day against every other list on this site (the rows of random-event-generator and random-scenario-generator among them) and on drawthisnext: no row is on two pages. Reworded after the screen: an echo that came back a beat late (a line of random-building-generator) and a will-o'-the-wisp leading off the path (a drawing idea). Cut on reading: a cellar bolted from outside, as too dark for this site. Licence: own work