Travel Tables - A Different Way to Handle Travel Based Encounters
In a recent development journal post I went into details about how I might handle travel in the Swords of Infinity RPG system. After a bit of reflection I realized that it is a concept that could apply to most RPGs, and so I have pulled together an example "Travel Table" that can be used as a template in almost any sort of RPG.
The following is a Travel Table for adventures taking place on the island of Kos. It assumes that the RPG you are playing already has, or allows for the addition of a "travel skill" or something similar. Note that overcoming a "malign" encounter might have very positive effects, the malignity refers to the encounter's attitude toward the party rather than the outcome.
Results are given by a roll of a d% (or 100 sided die), the storyteller chooses the item from the grid that fits best:
| Benign | Neutral | Malign | |
| People |
1 - 10: |
31 - 40: Adventurers Hermit Elves |
61 - 70: Bandits Goblinoids Cultists Humanoids Giants |
| Natural | 11 - 20: Orchard, Untended |
41 - 50: Herbivores Ruins |
71 - 80: Carnivores Environmental Hazard |
| Monsters | 21 - 30: Blink Dogs |
51 - 60: Griffon Fey Centaurs Dragon, Young Adult Shire Man |
81 - 90: Vermin, Monstrous Undead Cockatrice Owlbear Wyvern Lycanthrope |
* players that succeed on a Travel skill check are able to move the result on the table up or down one row, or left or right one column. Critical success allows the player to chose the exact result.
** Rolls of 91 or more result in two encounters that are combined.
Adventurers: A band of 2d3 adventurers — possibly some the party has met before or will meet again — which the Game Master can employ as needed, as adversaries, allies, admirers, or in any other suitable capacity. Roll 1d6: 1-2 weaker than party, 3-5 equal in strength to party, 6 stronger than party.
Bandits: 2d6 highwaymen with class levels equal to half the party's highest level and a captain of equal level. They will favor threats to violence, and are mostly interested in the party's valuables. The bandits may capture and hold for ransom any party member that is widely known to have a wealthy patron.
Blink Dogs: A pack of d12+5 blink dogs that are hunting for food and protecting their territory from monsters. On discovering them, the blink dogs will teleport to both disorient the party and keep them from accurately guessing at their numbers. The animals are highly intelligent and will only attack the party if provoked, or if they appear to be evil (performing evil acts, travelling with evil races, etc.).
Carnivores: d6+1 Wolves or d2 bears that are on the hunt for food. They are unlikely to attack the party unless they appear weakened or vulnerable, but the animals will defend themselves if attacked. There is a 20% chance that a wolf pack with more than four members will have a dire wolf as its alpha male.
Centaurs: A company of d6+2 Centaurs that are suspicious and distrustful of other races. On spotting the party, the Centaurs will send one company member to inform the rest of the tribe of the party’s presence in their territory while the rest of the company remains to observe. The observing Centaurs will attack if the party is caught hunting in the their territory without first receiving permission from the tribe.
Cockatrice: A flock of d6 cockatrices that are interested in killing or turning to stone any creature that they meet. The creatures are not very intelligent, and will meet any party head on relying on their petrifying gaze to win the battle.
Cultists: d10+5 titanic cultists engaged in activities related to the worship of their favored titan. There is a 10% chance that their ritual involves a human sacrifice and it is 50% likely that the cultists are still looking for a victim. It is unlikely that the cultists will reveal the purpose of their activities unless a member of the party worships the same titan and is able to demonstrate knowledge of the ritual's practice.
Dragon, Young Adult: A young adult dragon that is finally old enough to venture from its lair and is curious about the world around it. The dragon will attack and eat unintelligent creatures, but would rather engage and learn from intelligent species. The dragon is by default a blue, but may be a black in swamp areas, a green in a forested area, or a red in mountainous areas.
Elves: A squad of 2d4 Wild Elves that are on the hunt for Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Orcs in their territory. The Elves will be glad to accept aid in the form of information or even assistance in finding and killing their foes. Parties that contain Goblin, Hobgoblin, Orc, or Half-Orc members are likely to be attacked on sight.
Environmental Hazard: A natural hazard will cause problems for the party. Coastline: Heavy fog might cause characters to become lost, miss something they are looking for, or make it easier for a month to catch them off guard. Hills: a sinkhole is covered by a thin layer of soil and characters walking over it may fall into it and become trapped. Mountains: A mudslide will block the party’s path and may injure one or more of its members. Plains: A wildfire will sweep through the area the characters are in.
Fey: A single Nymph and d4 Satyrs that are interacting with each other and will be too preoccupied to harass the party. The Nymph is busy rebuking the advances of the amorous Satyrs, and the party may be asked for help by either of them. If the fey are attacked, they will put aside their differences and defend themselves from aggressors using their powerful supernatural abilities - it is unlikely they will stay to fight until death.
Giants: A troupe of d6+1 Ogres, d4 Trolls, or d3 Ettins that are hostile to all creatures and will generally attack any group that is twice their number or less. The giants are hungry and enjoy eating intelligent creatures.
Goblinoids: A gang of d6+6 worg mounted Goblins, d10+10 Hobgoblins, or d8 Bugbears that make up a small part of a vanguard sent from the Tetrarchy of Anatolia. The Goblinoids are tasked with surveying the region, but will not resist the urge to pillage and plunder and will employ a series of hit and run tactics against any foe they encounter. Parties that are not significantly weakened or defeated by these tactics will be reported by the Goblinoids to the main body of the vanguard.
Griffon: A flying beast on the hunt for food. The griffon is unlikely to accost the party directly, but will defend itself if attacked. Any size small or smaller party members may be picked up by the best and brought back to its nest for a meal.
Herbivores: 2d3 deer, goats, or d4 rabbits that are browsing at the vegetation and on the lookout for predators. If attacked by the party, the animals are more likely to run and hide than fight. For larger herds of deer and goats (5 or 6), there will be one larger, more powerful male that will stay back to defend the fleeing herd.
Hermit: The party meets a reclusive individual while in the wilderness. The hermit has character levels equal to one and a half times the highest level in the party, and may be a retired fighter, Titanic cleric, rogue on the run from the law, or any other archetype that suits the game master’s needs. The hermit may have sought a solitary lifestyle out of necessity or out of preference, and will respond to the party accordingly.
Humanoids: A band of 2d4+2 Orcs or d6+3 Gnolls that are hostile towards any creature they meet and on the lookout for ruins that they can raid for treasure. The humanoids are not honorable fighters, and will wait in ambush for the party if the band spots them first. Any band with eight or more members will have with it a spellcaster as its leader.
Hunters/Foragers: d2 hunters ranging in the wild for prey or d4+1 foragers gathering fruits, nuts, herbs, or mushrooms. They are knowledgeable about the local area and generally helpful to those that they meet. If attacked they will flee into the wilderness and hide, but will riddle party’s path with hunting traps (snares, pitfalls, etc) and drive carnivores in their direction from that point on until they find again and kill the hunters.
Lycanthrope: A werewolf or werebear with class levels equal to the highest level party member that will begin hunting the party. The lycanthrope is a cunning hunter, and will use its various forms to their greatest effect while hunting the party. It is unlikely that the lycanthrope will attack a full strength party head on unless cornered, preferring instead to weaken them over time using traps and the aid of wolves.
Monks of Hermes: 1d3 protectors of the roadways of Kos, the Monks of Hermes are investigating reports of monsters that have recently been harassing travelers. The monks will be grateful for any information the party might have regarding monsters in the area, and a party that brings them proof of a recent kill will curry favor with the Monastery of Hermes Agoraios commensurate with the threat that the monster posed.
Orchard, Untended: An olive orchard that is no longer being maintained by people, its many trees are full of sun-ripened olives that are ready for the picking.
Owlbear: A solitary owlbear on the hunt for food that will attack any creature it encounters. Parties that flee from the creature will be tracked by it, and it will always fight to the death.
Ruins: Pre-cataclysm ruins that may contain advanced Theran technology or other rare items. Potential ruined structures include a villa, temple, fortification, tomb, or any other structure that suits the game master’s needs. The party will discover the ruins if they are traveling, but will otherwise encounter a selection of the ruin’s denizens that have ventured out into the nearby area. Ruins are never completely abandoned, and may be inhabited by animals (60%), monsters (30%), or adventurers (10%) that are seeking treasure.
Shire Man: An immense Hill Giant that has grown far beyond what is normal — or even generally conceivable — and then fallen into a deep, coma-like slumber, become covered with earth, rock, and possibly even vegetation, and taken on the appearance of a small hill. The surfaces of such monstrosities are often occupied by small humanoids, including Goblins and degenerate Halflings, who build villages on and around them. A Shire Man will not engage in combat unless it is somehow woken up from its slumber, but if woken will be ravenous and will attempt to eat as many living creatures as it can.
Undead, Lesser: A group of d20 human skeletons or zombies (40%), d10 ghouls (30%), d4 ghasts, wights, or shadows (20%), or d2 mummies or wraiths (10%) that are interested only in killing the living.
Vermin, Monstrous: A monstrous Centipede, Scorpion, or Spider. Roll 1d8: 1 size Tiny, 2-3 size Small, 4-7 size Medium, 8 size Large. Such creatures are stupid, hungry, and aggressive.
Wyvern: A poison-stingered wyvern that is on the hunt for food and will attack any creature that is not an obvious threat to it. On spotting the party, the wyvern will swoop down and attempt to grab the weakest looking party member and, if successful, stab her to death with its tail. The wyvern will not choose to attack on land unless forced to.
