TTRPG Adventure starter
Running a TTRPG session tonight and have absolutely nothing prepared?
Use these tables to generate a framework for your adventure and kick-start your imagination. It will give you the core building blocks and it's up to you to fill in the details and make it yours - fascinating and memorable for your players.
Location d6pick 1
City
mansion, rooftops, sewers, catacombs
Village
abandoned mill, farm, religious site, graveyard, nearby forest
Wilderness
bandit camp, beast's lair, sunken ship
Dungeon
temple ruins, tomb, fort, enchanted tower
Another Plane
pocket dimension, inner plane, outer plane
Weird
inside a creature, on a flying island, within a dream
Adversaries d6pick 1
Criminals
thieves' guild, thugs, pirates
Cultists
worshippers of ancient evil, a new god, elemental entities
Monsters
instinctive threat, swarm, intelligent leader, cursed
Magic
berserk artifact, mad or ambitious wizard, corruption of the land
Politics or Intrigue
conspiring noble, corrupt official
Otherworldly
ancient one, ghost, visitor from another plane
Questgiver d6pick 1
Unexpected Petitioner
desperate person, child, cook, apprentice
Non-Human Creature
intelligent beast, awakened construct, fey trickster
Connected to Antagonist
relative, former apprentice, former mentor
Random Victim of Circumstance
antagonist's target, wrongly accused suspect
Hero of the Past
retired adventurer, war veteran, nostalgic elder
Official / Authority
governor, elder, guard, investigator
Non-combat encounters d6pick 1
Petitioner
needs help with a personal problem
Merchant / Artisan
can provide info, gear, or a side quest
Local Sage
shares knowledge about the antagonist or location for a fee or respect
Official / Guard
suspects the heroes, creates obstacles, or demands a bribe
Refugee / Witness
needs rescue or persuasion to speak
Creature / Item with Personality
talking head, wise troll, bored spirit, dryad
Mechanics d12pick 2
Classic Reaction & Awareness Trap
pit with spikes. falling boulders
Environmental / Spatial Challenge
shifting space, collapsing bridge, flooding room
Magical Puzzle-Dilemma
sacrificial altar, rune sequence
Unexpected Social or Roleplay Check
mirror of truth, riddle-posing sphinx
Living Trap
smothering rug, creature disguised as terrain (mimic/roper)
Cooperation & Time Puzzle
closing walls with two levers, synchronized pressure plates
Vulnerable Spot
can be spotted with a check, deals extra damage to target, possibly with lower hit chance
Choice Between High/Low Risk
e.g., hitting a weak spot triggers a strong AoE retaliation
Escalating Threat
ritual that must be stopped, room filling with gas
Resource Management
holding back the darkness, stabilizing a dying ally, moving from safe zone to safe zone
Non-trivial Battle Goal
defend points or a character, survive waves
Price of Magic
in a specific zone, magic has random destructive or fun side effects
Plot twist d6pick 1
Betrayal
employer, NPC companion, character turns
Wrong Enemy
the villain is actually a victim or trying to prevent something worse
Shift in Priorities
a more important/urgent threat appears during the process
Moral Dilemma
victory requires a sacrifice (character, NPC, valuable item)
Rival Party
heroes gain competitors who want to do it faster/dirtier/differently
Curse / Disease
heroes get infected with something midway - must find a cure
Once you have your inspiration material, start fleshing out the story by defining the essentials: