Quite a while ago, I posted a list of adventure ideas. Another way to generate hundreds of adventure ideas is to roll up various parts.

Adventure Type

1d6. Roll for the type, then fill in the blanks using the table for the elements in boldface.

1. A person of quality seeks adventurers for a mission.
2. A person of quality seeks adventurers for a mission.
3. A person of quality suggests an opportunity for bold adventurers.
4. A rumor suggests an opportunity for bold adventurers.
5. A rumor suggests an opportunity for bold adventurers.
6. The heroes are caught up in a disaster.

Regardless of the adventure, an intriguing event occurs….

Person of Quality

1d6 for low level, 1d6+3 for mid level, 1d6+6 for high level. Nobles send agents to recruit heroes or invite them to talk to the noble in person.

1. An apothecary needs… (1d6: 1-2=a monster body part; 3-4=the carcass of a monster; 5=a live monster; 6=a theft solved).
2. A local priest needs… (1d6: 1-2=a crime solved; 3-4=a person found; 5=a dark project foiled; 6=a dark faction stopped).
3. A local merchant needs… (1d6: 1=a monster body part; 2=an escort for a shipment of trade goods; 3=protection from a local thief; 4=information on a rival; 5=help finding a loved one; 6=a crime solved).
4. The town bailiff or constable needs help against… (1d6: 1=bandits near town; 2=a thief in town; 3=humanoid raiders; 4=a weird cult in town; 5=wererats in town; 6=a werewolf near town).
5. A gentleman/gentlewoman (unlanded gentry) or knight needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=wipe out humanoid raiders; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend them against assassins; 4=deliver something to another city; 5=bring them body parts of a certain creature; 6=explore a perilous location on their land).
6. A church official (bishop or high priest/priestess) needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=wipe out humanoid raiders; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=find a lost relic; 4=deliver something to another city; 5=break up an evil cult; 6=foil an evil project).
7. A city mayor, sheriff, or judge needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=wipe out humanoid raiders; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend them against assassins; 4=deal with a weird cult; 5=bring them the carcass of a creature; 6=explore a perilous location on their land).
8. A professional (sage, attorney, head of a college or abbey) needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=stop an evil faction’s project; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend them against assassins; 4=bring them a live creature; 5=bring them the carcass of a certain creature; 6=spy on a rival).
9. A rich merchant or yeoman (landed commoner) needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=wipe out humanoid raiders; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend them against assassins; 4=stop a troublesome monster; 5=bring them the carcass of a certain creature; 6=explore a perilous location on their land).
10. A lord/lady (landed gentry) needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=wipe out humanoid raiders; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend him/her against assassins; 4=bring him/her a live creature; 5=bring him/her the carcass of a creature; 6=explore a perilous location on their land).
11. A noble (baron or earl) needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=slay troublesome monsters; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend him/her against assassins; 4=bring him/her a certain live creature; 5=spy on rivals; 6=rescue a captive loved one).
12. A royal (king, queen, prince, princess) needs heroes to… (1d6: 1=spy on rivals and cause them trouble; 2=solve a murder or theft; 3=defend him/her against assassins; 4=bring him/her a certain live creature; 5=slay troublesome monsters; 6=rescue a captive loved one).

Rumor

1d6.

1. A conversation in a tavern or inn.
2. News related by a town crier.
3. A historical tale told by a sage.
4. A merchant’s harrowing first-hand account.
5. A document discovered on a previous adventure.
6. A vision from the gods.

Opportunity

1d6.

1. Explore a perilous location to claim a rumored treasure.
2. Take a load of goods (or unusual creature) to a city/port where it can be sold for a profit.
3. Capture an unusual creature to sell to a noble.
4. Take back valuable goods seized by a villain.
5. Travel to a strange land and slay a monster (humanoids, bulette, dragon) for its treasure.
6. Get revenge upon a past enemy that has returned (in person or proxy).

Disaster

1d6.

1. A great monster attack on a town or city (bulette, purple worm, dragon).
2. An assault by a raiders (humanoids, barbarians, mercenaries, undead, or a noble’s army).
3. A magical disaster caused by a cult of evil sorcerers or priests (portal opened to demons, elemental causes extreme storms, a ship arrives filled with undead).
4. Accused of a serious crime (murder, smuggling, consorting with demons).
5. Being hunted by an evil cult or misguided faction out of revenge or for an item.
6. A natural disaster (flood, fire, volcanic eruption, earthquake).

Item or Person

1d6.

1. Heirloom (jewelry, armor, weapon, statuette, chest, painting)
2. Documents (deed, letters, secret, treaty, trade deal)
3. Ingredient for a potion or magic item
4. Exotic treasure (magic artifact, holy relic, mechanical engine, legendary item, fallen star)
5. Loved one
6. Outlaw/enemy captive

Strange Location

1d6.

1. Ancient ruins
2. Desolate moor
3. Dark forest
4. Hilly upland
5. Mysterious island
6. Spooky swamp or marsh

Perilous Location

1d6.

1. Ancient ruins (tomb, temple, fortress)
2. Old ruins (tower, abbey, castle)
3. Dungeon under a castle or city
4. Mysterious island
5. Cave complex
6. Underground lair

Villain

1d6.

1. Band of humanoids (goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, lizardfolk)
2. Giants (ogres, hill giants, frost giants)
3. Monster (trolls, bulette, basilisk, wyvern, dragon)
4. Lycanthropes (werewolves, wereboars, wererats)
5. Undead (wights, wraiths, vampire)
6. Evil people (cult, cabal, noble)

Intriguing Event

1d6.

1. A betrayal… (1d6: 1=in the past; 2=of the people; 3=of the heroes; 4=of a major NPC; 5=of a minor NPC; 6=of the villain). Any betrayal of the heroes should come from someone they knew was untrustworthy.
2. A cryptic warning… (1d6: 1=from a friend; 2=from a sage; 3=from a rival; 4=from the villain; 5=from an official; 6=from an unknown party).
3. A veiled threat… (1d6: 1=against the heroes’ lives; 2=against the heroes’ friend; 3=against a major NPC; 4=against a town/city; 5=against a noble; 6=against a minor NPC).
4. A mysterious letter… (1d6: 1=as an artifact; 2=from a relative of a hero; 3=between unknown NPCs; 4=between the villain and minions; 5=between major NPCs; 6=between minor NPCs).
5. A coded message… (1d6: 1=as an artifact; 2=from a relative of a hero; 3=between unknown NPCs; 4=between the villain and minions; 5=between major NPCs; 6=between minor NPCs).
6. A dead body… (1d6: 1=of a friend; 2=of a rival; 3=of a major NPC; 4=of a minor NPC; 5=of a helpless innocent; 6=of a minion of the villain).

Unusual Creature

1d6.

1. Tricky… (1d6: 1=fae; 2=mimic; 3=gargoyle; 4=rust monster; 5=medusa; 6=chimera)
2. Difficult… (1d6: 1=unicorn; 2=phoenix; 3=minotaur; 4=gargoyle; 5=otyugh; 6=xorn)
3. Wild… (1d6: 1=lion; 2=giraffe; 3=rhino; 4=crocodile; 5=elephant; 6=mated pair of zebras)
4. Giant… (1d6: 1=badger; 2=scorpion; 3=queen bee; 4=weasel; 5=snake; 6=spider)
5. Exotic… (1d6: 1=pegasus; 2=hell hound; 3=gelatinous cube; 4=griffon; 5=yeti; 6=hippogriff)
6. Young… (1d6: 1=dragon; 2=bulette; 3=basilisk; 4=dragon turtle; 5=dinosaur; 6=purple worm)