D100 Random Village Encounter Table

I’ve put together a random village encounter table with 100 entries. They’re unique, interesting, and sure to help spur some ideas for you, the DM! They’ll work for Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, or other fine tabletop roleplaying games. If you’re looking for fantasy encounters, I’ve got you covered!

Random Village Encounter Table

1. Tumbleweed blown around a small but dusty village.
2. A wagon full of barrels roll by. The barrels are marked with the words ‘Drink me!’
3. A merchant is trying to sell a rock to a girl. She says the rock is not worth anything.
4. Two drunk men argue about whether the thing they’re holding is a magic wand or not. It is not a magic wand. They’re just drunk.
5. A group of young children are playing a game of tag in the street.
6. A group of men are trying to sell a man a mirror. They are not sure if it’s magic or not, and they want a good price for it.
7. A man is holding a snake in his hands while he waits in line at the city hall.
8. A group of first level players have been traveling for several days, and they enter the town looking for an inn and some food. They are all very tired and hungry.
9. An old man is selling birds. He has several cages full of them and is trying to sell them for 2 gp each. The birds are all dead.
10. A man is selling magic beans for 10 gp each. He has a large bag full of them, and he’s trying to sell them to anyone who passes by. They are not magic. He will keep lowering the price.
11. Vampires have been kidnapping random villagers and have been turning them into new vampires. The city guard is looking for new recruits.
12. A man who’s name is Bill has lost his donkey. His name is Bill because he is from a foreign country far from the village. The man’s name is not really William, but he is from a foreign country which does not have a ‘W’ in the alphabet.
13. A man with a thick accent will offer party members ale for very cheap. He is asking for directions to a village that no one has ever heard of.
14. A man asks the party if they want to buy a magic potion. The potion will turn you into an animal for one hour and you will turn back once the hour is completed.
15. A woman asks the party if they want to buy some apples. She will sell them for two gold per apple. She will allow the party to pick their own apples in her orchard if they do not trust her.
16. A local woodsman asks if anyone wants to buy some timber. He’s selling cheap because he has a large family to feed.
17. A local woodsman approaches the party and offers to sell them some timber. He’s selling it for a high price because he has a large family to feed.
18. A man asks if you’ve seen his dog. The dog’s name is Spot.
19. The city guard approaches you and asks if you’ve seen anyone suspicious around town lately.
20. A man offers to sell you some apples for 1 silver  each.
21. Q: A man with a wolf pelt over his shoulders and a staff in his hand is walking up the road. The man says his name is Martin, and he has a request for the party. He says he’s a powerful wizard who is traveling to gather information about a large tower in the nearby hills. He says he will trade the party a magical staff for a magical sword.
22. Q: A man with no feet is walking up the road. The man says his name is Joe, and he wants to join the party. He says he’s a powerful warrior who lost his feet in an accident.
23. Q: A man with a thick beard and a thick cloak is walking up the road. The man says his name is Jonathan, and he has a question for the party. He says he’s a powerful wizard who is traveling to gather information about a large tower in the nearby hills. He says he will trade information about the tower for information about an old dwarven ruin in the area.
24. Q: A priest of Bahamut approaches the party and offers them 10 gold pieces each if they will escort him through the area safely. He says he’s traveling to a nearby city to bring news of a recent dragon attack to the king and queen.
25. Q: A group of children are playing with a small wooden horse. One of the children says the horse is magic and will bring good luck to anyone who touches it.
26. Q: A group of children are playing with a small wooden dog. One of the children says the dog is magic and will bring good luck to anyone who touches it.
27. Q: Two men are walking up the road. One man has a thick beard and a thick cloak, and the other has no feet. The man with no feet says his name is Joe, and he wants to join the party. He says he’s a powerful warrior who lost his feet in an accident.
28. Q: A man with a wolf pelt over his shoulders and a staff in his hand is walking up the road. The man says his name is Martin, and he has a request for the party. He says he’s a powerful wizard who is traveling to gather information about a large tower in the nearby hills. He says he will trade information about the tower for information about an old dwarven ruin in the area.
29. Q: A man with no feet is walking up the road. The man says his name is Joe, and he wants to join the party. He says he’s a powerful warrior who lost his feet in an accident.
30. Q: A priest of Heironeous approaches the party and offers them 10 gold pieces each if they will escort him through the area safely. He says he’s traveling to a nearby city to bring news of a recent dragon attack to the king and queen.
31. Zorak, a local bard, is entertaining the villagers with a song he wrote about the local dragon.
32. A thief has been caught and is being brought to the local courthouse, escorted by a city watchman.
33. A group of young men are challenging each other to races and other competitions in the local tavern.
34. A local noble, who is known for being very greedy, has just died and left his possessions to the local church.
35. A group of elderly women are gossiping about the local nobles who are known for being cheap. They are discussing how they are always giving them gifts and charity, and having nothing in return.
36. A group of children playing near the local church are talking about how they think one of the priests is a vampire because he is always so pale and never goes out during the day.
37. A group of people are talking about how they think one of the local nobles is actually a werewolf because he is always so hairy and nobody has ever seen him without his robes on.
38. A group of young men are challenging each other to races and other competitions in the local tavern.
39. The town druid, who everybody thinks is a little crazy, is preaching about how the gods have forsaken them and they will soon be punished.
40. A group of children playing near the local church are talking about how they think one of the priests is a vampire because he is always so pale and never goes out during the day
41. CULT – A cult is trying to raise a demon.
42. PIRATES – Pirates are trying to capture a ship.
43. RAVERS – A group of crazed citizens are running through town, screaming and yelling. They are being chased by a group of crazed druids.
44. CORONER – A group of men are gathered around a body. They are talking about how they can’t afford to bury it.
45. TROLLS – A group of trolls have decided to make an attack on the town.
46. MAGIC VIOLENCE – A wizard is arguing with another wizard. They’re both casting magic missiles at each other.
47. PROMOTION – A merchant comes into town and offers to give away free items in exchange for advertising his shop.
48. CORONATION – A group of people are gathered around a platform. They are about to crown a new king.
49. DIPLOMACY – The village is being harassed by a tribe of goblins. A diplomat from a nearby kingdom is trying to broker a peace treaty between the two nations.
50. MASSACRE – A group of goblins is trying to kill every living thing in town.
51. Tattered banner, torn and faded, is blowing in the wind. It is a banner of the local lord and reads: ‘We need a new lord!’

52. Two men are arguing about the price of a horse.
53. A small child runs up to the players and asks them for candy. The child is an orphan.
54. Three men are arguing about the price of a horse.
55. A man is trying to sell a horse. He’s not the best salesperson.
56. A drunk man is singing a song. (He’s not the best singer.)
57. A group of 4 guards are talking about their day. They’re tired and hungry.
58. A group of children are playing tag.
59. A group of people are praying for the safe return of a loved one who has gone adventuring.
60. A group of people are praying for the safe return of a loved one who has gone adventuring. They ask if anyone has seen their loved one.
61.  merchant is arguing with another man about whether or not he owed him money.
62. An old man is talking about seeing a dragon attack the town.
63. Three men are talking about a man who is supposed to be a dragon cultist. They’re going to kill him if he doesn’t confess.
64. A group of dwarves are arguing with a group of men about whether or not they should pay them.
65. A group of men and women are arguing about a man who is supposed to be a werewolf.
66. A group of dwarves are arguing with a group of men about whether or not they should pay them.
67. An old lady is talking about seeing a dragon attack the town.
68. Three men are talking about a man who is supposed to be a dragon cultist. They’re going to kill him if he doesn’t confess.
69. A merchant is arguing with another man about whether or not he owed him money.
70. A merchant comes into town to sell his goods.
71. Rival adventuring party passes through village. They’re low on supplies and are looking for a place to restock before continuing on their way.
72. Three wagons loaded with goods pass through the village. They’re traveling from one village to another and the players can hire on as guards for a small fee.
73. A group of children are playing with a ball outside of the village tavern. They have been told not to play there and will run away if anyone approaches them.
74. A local hunter named Ned is harassing people in the village. He came to the village looking for work and has been turned away by everyone. He is bitter and looking for a fight.
75. A woman named Mary is looking for her lost dog.
76. A group of children are playing with a ball outside of the village tavern. They have been told not to play there and will run away if anyone approaches them.
77. A group of 1d4+6 villagers are traveling from one village to another and are looking for a place to rest along their journey.
78. A group of 1d4+6 villagers are traveling from one village to another and are looking for a place to rest along their journey. They are carrying a coffin with them and are trying to keep it a secret.
79. A man named John has been accused of killing his wife. He is being questioned by the village magistrate and he is claiming his innocence without hesitation. The players can choose to help clear his name and find the real killer or to allow an innocent man to be punished for a crime he did not commit.
80. A group of drunk men are harassing a young woman named Margaret who is trying to pass through the village unnoticed.
81. Barmaid from the inn offers the party free drinks because she has a crush on the fighter. She’s not sure if he likes her or not.
82. A group of children are playing hide-and-seek. They are very good at it because they’re hiding in the bushes and in the trees.
83. The party sees a group of men trying to saw through a tree. They are trying to cut down the tree because they want its wood.
84. A group of hunters from a nearby village are looking for elk in the forest.
85. A man is walking around the village with a cage full of birds. He’s selling them to people to use as pets or as food.
86. A group of children are playing with a ball. If a player tries to take it, they will scream and start crying. They will not let go of the ball.
87. A man is looking for someone to help him move a large rock. If a player helps him, he will give them a magic item worth around 100 gold pieces.
88. A group of young women are gossiping about a man in town who is very handsome and broke the heart of one of them.
89. Two men are fighting over a woman. One of them wants to marry her, but the other one doesn’t want to let her go.
90. A group of men are arguing about whether the monsters in the woods are dangerous or not.
91. Slight Hum in the air – 1d8 goblins are approaching the village. They will attack the players without warning.
92. A wealthy merchant offers the players a reward to retrieve his missing horse. The horse is actually a half-dragon, and will attack them when they try to capture it.
93. A wealthy merchant offers the players a reward to retrieve his missing daughter. The merchant’s daughter is actually a half-dragon, and will attack them when they try to capture her.
94. A group of 1d6 villagers are arguing about whether or not to attack a group of goblins that have been attacking their livestock.
95. A group of 1d6+2 villagers are arguing about whether or not to attack a group of orcs that have been attacking their livestock.
96. A group of 1d6 villagers are arguing about whether or not to attack a group of human bandits that have been attacking their livestock.
97. A middle-aged man named Arnie is running around the town, looking quite upset. He tells the party that he lost a ring that was given to him by his wife. He will reward the party handsomely if they can find it. The ring is actually a ring of invisibility, and Arnie is a thief who has stolen it from someone else.
98. A middle-aged man named Arnie is running around the town, looking quite upset. He tells the party that he lost a book that was given to him by his teacher. He will reward the party handsomely if they can find it. The book is actually a book of enchantments, and Arnie is a thief who has stolen it from someone else.
99. A group of 1d6+2 villagers are arguing about whether or not to attack a group of orcs that have been attacking their livestock. They will attack the players if they’re nearby.
100. A group of 1d10 villagers are arguing about whether or not to attack a group of orcs that have been attacking their livestock. They will attack the players if they’re nearby and it looks like they might be able to win the fight.

More Random Village Encounters

Check out Random Encounters AI and LitRPG Adventures for even more random village encounter tables. I’ve got quite a few advanced RPG generators powered by AI, so please check them out.