Sooner or later, your players will ignore your narrative breadcrumbs in favor of aiding a random NPC. This is good and right. But it helps to be prepared when it happens!
One Roll Wonders are a way to throw together RPG locations and points of interest in the time it takes for a bathroom break!
Grab one of each of the polyhedral dice: d4, d6, d8, d1, d12, and d20. Roll them all at once and consult the tables.
The results provide a ready-made bit of adventure. You might need to massage the outcome to create something coherent, or you might find a result that appeals to you more than what you rolled. Whatever gets the game moving is the right call!
Want more help keeping things running? The Prepared! Expanded Collection is an group of pre-generated one-shot adventures that helps you look like an improv master.
The Ruined Noble
| d4 | How old is the ruined noble? |
| 1 | An emerging adult |
| 2 | An established adult |
| 3 | Middle aged |
| 4 | Venerable |
| d6 | What is the ruined noble’s title? |
| 1 | Lord/Lady |
| 2 | Baron/Baroness |
| 3 | Viscount/Viscountess |
| 4 | Marquis/Marchioness |
| 5 | Duke/Duchess |
| 6 | Prince/Princess |
| d8 | What is a sign of the noble’s ruined status? |
| 1 | The goblet from which the noble sips wine is no longer gold but brass |
| 2 | The noble’s furs are stained from nights spent sleeping in barns and along highways |
| 3 | A signet ring, normally worn on the a noble’s right hand, is conspicuously absent |
| 4 | The noble’s hunting horn is cracked and no longer sounds |
| 5 | Their bejeweled necklace contains inexpensive garnet gems |
| 6 | Their noble’s elegant clothes are soiled in their flight from assassins |
| 7 | The scepter, a sign of the ruined noble’s station, is missing gems that have been pawned |
| 8 | Debt collectors pursue the ruined noble and his retinue |
| d10 | Who protects the ruined noble? |
| 1 | Two lackadaisical guards named Beauriss and Meauriss |
| 2 | A con artist who doesn’t understand the extent of the noble’s plight |
| 3 | A knight who owes a life debt to the noble |
| 4 | A druid who believes the noble’s promise to protect the natural realm once restored to their title |
| 5 | A warrior from the northern wastelands who has taken pity on the noble |
| 6 | A guild artisan who seeks to leverage the noble’s position into unending riches |
| 7 | A cursed brass dragon that has been permanently polymorphed into humanoid form |
| 8 | An assassin who has been charged with keeping the noble alive |
| 9 | A cleric convinced that the noble is key to prophetic rumblings |
| 10 | A warrior who is secretly the ruined noble’s illegitimate older sibling |
| d12 | What is a sign of the ruined noble’s former standing? |
| 1 | The common gentry refer to the noble by their former title |
| 2 | The noble’s aunt or uncle is renowned for authoring the definitive tome on a topic |
| 3 | The noble’s hands are still soft and uncalloused |
| 4 | The noble seems to look down on all others, no matter their respective height |
| 5 | The noble refuses to accept an insult from a perceived lesser |
| 6 | The noble is well trained with the rapier and stays in practice |
| 7 | Given the chance, the noble indulges deeply with food and drink |
| 8 | The noble has a small sack of electrum pieces with their parent’s face cast on the head |
| 9 | The noble scrimps and saves to purchase fashionable clothing |
| 10 | The noble easily recalls historical and military matters |
| 11 | The noble maintains a romantic relationship with a scion of a rival house |
| 12 | Other nobles show pity on the ruined noble, supporting them for short periods of time |
| d20 | What does the noble have to offer? (Magic items are from Vault of Magic.) |
| 1 | 1d10 + 1 scrolls of correspondence, used to communicate with the noble’s secret allies |
| 2 | A light crossbow of accuracy, used to harry foes from a distance |
| 3 | An almanac of common wisdom used to navigate this lonely world from the bottom |
| 4 | Precious gems worth 10d100 gp, tucked away in a velvet sack embroidered with the ruined noble’s family name |
| 5 | A potion of courtesan’s allure, used to improve relations with fellow noble houses. |
| 6 | 1d4 + 1 potions of ebbing strength, used to empower disposable minions |
| 7 | A potion of liquid shadow, used to disappear into the darkness |
| 8 | A scroll of treasure finding, used to seek out new riches |
| 9 | A root of the world tree, intended to plant a new birthright for the ruined noble’s descendents |
| 10 | A brazen band, worn when negotiating with frightful foes |
| 11 | A rod of blade bending, used to render the noble impervious to mundane attacks |
| 12 | A ring of hoarded life gained under dubious circumstances |
| 13 | 1d4+1 arrows of grabbing, used by the noble’s protector |
| 14 | A set of primordial scale, harvested from a beast slain by the noble’s parent |
| 15 | A thirsting scalpel, taken from the corpse of a failed assassin |
| 16 | A shield of missile reversal that refuses to attune to the failed noble |
| 17 | A bag of bramble beasts, the contents of which were the noble’s childhood friends |
| 18 | A bottled boat and a helm of the slashing fin for use by the sea |
| 19 | A circlet of holly, which didn’t help with recent dealings with a certain fey lady |
| 20 | A gazebo of shade and shelter, which is how the ruined noble and their retinue have used on rainy days |
I’m really enjoying this series!