I was recently inspired to create table-top role-playing game rules for carousing between adventures, which adds fun and realism for heroes returning from an adventure laden with treasure. The reward is luck, which allows you to reroll almost any die roll.

The basic mechanic is simplified from the medieval dice game “hazard”, which evolved into craps. The player characters go out carousing, and take turns.

The current carouser rolls 2d6.

• On a 7, everybody gains a point of luck.
• On a 2 or 12, everybody loses a point of luck.
• On anything else, only the current carouser gains a point of luck and establishes a “hazard”. However, this luck remains at risk…

Once you, as the current carouser, have established at least one hazard, you can choose to end your night on a roll of 7, 2, or 12 and pass the dice. Otherwise, you keep rolling.

When losing a point of luck from 2 or 12, you can choose to lose one of your hazard points, which clears that hazard.

After each of these rolls, you roll on the Carousing Event table.

If you roll one of your hazards, you lose all your luck from the hazards (not from 7s) and pass the dice. You may want to write down the hazard numbers and cover them with a point token as they get established.

Once everyone has had a turn, everyone who hit one of their hazards rolls on the End of a Wild Night table to see how they wake up in the morning.

Carousing Events

You cannot use luck to reroll these rolls. If your modified roll is ever 0 or less, your night is over, and you roll on the Wild End to the Night table.

1d20	Carousing Events
-4 or more	You find you are missing 1 gp per level, because… (1d6: 1=you lost it or were cheated while gambling; 2-3=it was stolen off your person; 4=you spent it on something that will be delivered later [other players vote]; 5=you gave it to someone for romantic reasons; 6=you vaguely remember dropping something when you went out to the privy). Roll on the Wild End to the Night table.
-2 to -3	You find a vial that got mislaid in a dark niche and, fairly tipsy, drink it. It’s a spoiled potion. Roll on the Minor Wild Magic Effects table. Then roll on the Wild End to the Night table.
0 to -1	A dark figure in the corner has been eyeing you hard…. Spend a point of luck to avoid or gain one by getting into a tavern free-for-all and… (1d8: 1-2=losing soundly [knock out, black eye, etc.]; 3-4=getting thrown out; 5=parting with respect; 6-7=winning badly [black eye, etc.]; 8+=winning soundly; add your strength modifier and get +1 if you have wrestling skill). If there is a brawl, all the heroes out carousing must roll (but only the current carouser gets the luck). Roll on the Wild End to the Night table.
1-2	You get in a little over your head and “lose your ballast”… (1d6: 1=one the floor; 2-3=out on the cobblestones; 4-6=out in the privy).
3	You make a fool of yourself… (1d6: 1=getting too friendly; 2=getting belligerent; 3=causing damage that costs you 1d6 gp; 4=demanding something the establishment doesn’t have; 5=trying to explain something you don’t understand; 6=complaining about the nobility).
4	You get stunned by a ruffian with a sap outside a dark privy. You come-to a minute later with a sore head, missing 1 gp per level and any jewelry. Your clothes are a bit dirty.
5	You injure yourself trying to show off your strength or dexterity, whichever is higher.
6-7	Drinking, dancing, music …. You break down in tears explaining how much you love… (1d8: 1=ale; 2=furry animals; 3=your family; 4=sleep; 5=your friends; 6=birds; 7=unicorns; 8=“this song”).
8-9	There’s good music and all, but you get into a conversation about a sad tale of loss and heartbreak with a morose drinker. It’s a… (2d6: 2=female halflings; 3=male halflings; 4-5=female human; 6=male human; 7=male dwarf; 8=female dwarf; 9-10=female elf; 11-12=male elf). The story is about… (1d6: 1=a lover; 2=a betrayal; 3=an inheritance; 4=a pointless death; 5=a self-sacrificing death; 6=madness).
10-11	A little drinking, a little music, good stories, a fetching glance…. You’re having a good time! You are complimented for your… (1d8: 1=clothes; 2=looks; 3=knowledge; 4-5=adventure stories; 6=wit; 7= dancing; 8=singing). (+2 for bards)
12-13	A little music, some good stories, enchanting company…. It’s a fine time! You get into a fascinating conversation about… (1d8: 1=hide tanning; 2=beekeeping; 3=shoemaking; 4=weaving; 5=wheel-making, 6=brewing; 7=hay; 8=pickling).
14-15	A little drinking, a little music, some good stories…. It’s a good time! A couple of young people put on a fine show… (1d10: 1=dancing; 2=lute-playing; 3=singing; 4=with a trained dog; 5=with a trained monkey; 6=reciting bawdy verse; 7=reciting clever verse; 8=juggling; 9=acrobatics; 10=telling a tale of treasure and heroism). You over-tip them.
16-17	A little drinking, a little music… You do a bit of gambling and gain 1 gp per level. Add 1 gp to the roll per gambling skill level, if you have it.
18-20	Good music, good drinks, dancing, good stories…. You meet someone who gives you a solid lead on a job or adventure… (1d6: 1=a foreign envoy; 2=a foreign merchant; 3=a merchant; 4=a local official; 5=a royal official; 6=a minor noble passing thru). Name that NPC and give them a backstory. (See Non-Player Characters.)

Wild End to the Night

Add +1 for each of the other heroes carousing with you. You cannot use luck to reroll these rolls. Make rolls for each character who ended the night wildly before revealing any of them; if some are the same, then those characters are together (or nearby) in the same situation.

1d20	End of a Wild Night
1	You wake up with a hangover in jail, pending charges for a serious crime (1d6: 1=murder; 2-3=counterfeiting; 4-5=smuggling; 6=treason). It won’t be easy to sort out (or cheap), but it’s all a big misunderstanding. The constable is… (1d6: 1-2=hostile; 3-5=irritated; 4-5=somewhat understanding).
2	Things got very crazy, with some romance and dares. You wake up with a hangover almost naked in a church/temple. You hear footsteps.
3	You wake up with a hangover in jail for creating disorder. Pay 10 gp for bail or spend 1d4 days behind bars. You have no money on you. The constable says the disorder was… (1d6: 1=trying to take a bath in a public horse trough; 2-3=“breathing dragon-fire” in a merchant’s carriage; 4-5=trying to steal a melon; 6=trying to steal a portrait of a distinguished noble).
4	Things got pretty crazy, and it’s all a blur. You wake up with a hangover, spattered with blood, in the woods 1d4 miles from where you last remember being. You have somehow killed one of the local lord’s deer with a sharp stick.
5	Things got pretty crazy; it’s all a blur. You wake up with a hangover in a back street behind an alchemist’s workshop. Next to you is an empty bucket of what was apparently spoiled potions. Roll on the Minor Wild Magic Effects table three times.
6	Things got rather crazy, with some romance and dares. You wake up with a hangover completely naked in a back street. There are clothes hanging on a clothesline nearby. They are… (1d6: 1=not your size or gender; 2-3=not your gender; 4-5=not your size; 6=your size and gender).
7	You wake up with a hangover inside a coffin in a church/temple. Two clerics are standing over you preparing to perform the last rites. They are very surprised when you start moving.
8	Things got pretty crazy, and it’s all a blur. You wake up with a hangover in a barn 1d4 miles from where you last remember being. You are curled up with a… (1d6: 1-2=dog; 3-4=chicken; 5=duck; 6=piglet).
9	Things got very crazy, with some dares you don’t remember clearly. You wake up with a hangover in your own bed. Soon an angry message is delivered from a craftsman, because of property damage at the… (1d8: 1=meat market; 2=shoemaker; 3=tannery; 4=bakery; 5=inn; 6=pottery; 7=harness shop; 8=smithy).
10	Things got crazy, with lots of drinking and dares. You wake up with a hangover behind a dye shop with both arms… (1d6: 1=red; 2=yellow; 3=green; 4=blue; 5=black; 6=orange; 7=royal purple; 8=roll a d6 for each arm).
11	Things got crazy, with some gambling involved. You wake up with a hangover on the floor of a tavern. Make a gambling check against difficulty 13 using sense to see if you won or lost 1 gp per level, no recovery.
12	Things got a bit crazy, with lots of music and drinking. You wake up with a hangover on a comfortable bed of thatch… atop a thatched-roof house, because you became convinced there would be a flood.
13	Things got a bit crazy, with lots of music and drinking. You wake up with a hangover under a canvas tarpaulin in a wagon on its way thru the gate out of the city. You share the wagon with… (1d6: 1=horse manure; 2-3=animal carcasses; 4-5=pigs; 6=clean straw).
14	You wake up on the floor next to your bed with a hangover. You remember you got in a little over your head and “sang the queen’s praises” all over yourself and… (1d6: 1=a barmaid; 2=a companion; 3=the tavern floor; 4-5=out on the cobblestones; 6=in the privy).
15	You wake up on the floor next to your bed with a hangover. You got in a little over your head and “shouted a rainbow” all over yourself. Tucked into your bed is… (1d6: 1=a dog; 2=a duck; 3=your favorite weapon; 4=a rolled-up blanket with a helmet at the top and your boots at the bottom; 5=a small cask of ale; 6=a small statue from the church/temple).
16	You had a bit of a crazy night, most of which is a blur, but there was drinking and dancing, great stories, romance of some sort…. You wake up on the floor next to your bed with a hangover. Tucked into your bed is… (1d6: 1=your muddy boots; 2=a piglet; 3=a portrait of a distinguished noble; 4=a raccoon; 5=a jug of wine; 6=a dress stuffed with straw with a melon for a head to “throw off the assassins”).
17	You had a pretty crazy night, most of which is a blur, but there was drinking and dancing, great stories, romance of some sort…. You wake up with a hangover in a bed of straw in the stables behind a tavern. You are missing… (1d6: 1=both boots; 2=one boot; 3=your belt; 4=your vest; 5=your shirt; 6=nothing, but all your clothes are neatly rolled up for a pillow).
18	You had a wild night, most of which is a blur, but there was drinking and dancing, great stories, romance of some sort…. You wake up with a hangover in a merchant’s carriage in their stable. You are cuddling… (1d6: 1=a cat; 2=a boot that is not your own; 3=a helmet; 4=a melon; 5=a velvet pillow; 6=the shadowy figure who awakened you, who slips out without a backward glance).
19	Things got a bit crazy. You wake up with a hangover in bed with a stranger who is… (1d6: 1=ugly; 2-3=plain; 4-5=attractive; 6=very attractive) and whose reaction is… (1d6: 1=hostile; 2-3=embarrassed; 4-5=friendly; 6=thrilled). Name that NPC and give them a backstory. (See Non-Player Characters.)
20+	You had a crazy night and wake up in your own bed with a mild hangover. Most of it is a blur, but there was drinking and dancing, stories, romance of some sort, and a bit of a fight you think you won. Oh, and… (1d8: 1=you now own a piglet; 2=you’ve got a black eye; 3=you’ve lost your boots; 4=you have a fresh tattoo [other players vote]; 5-7=you’re sore all over; 8=you have a memento from someone you don’t remember).