World Generator Live!

Just published my Javascript world generator!

http://www.dmmuse.com/#/hexmap

Next will come the editing piece, where you will be able to alter the map by depressing or raising sections, and fine tuning the temperature and moisture.

Javascript World Generation

My fingers are aching after spending the past 3 days converting my fractal world generation code to Javascript.  My vision is to produce a D&D world editor in Javascript with the following features:

• Intelligent terrain generation.
• Editing tools to "raise" and "lower" parts of the map with the mouse to shape the terrain.
• Try different, randomized weather patterns to see how they modify the terrain.
• Control the temperature and moisture levels of the world, get desert or jungle worlds.

This is the first step in my grand plan to create the ultimate DM's toolbox online.  Imaging having civilizations, cities, dungeons, all generated on the map for you as a starting point for a new campaign.  And then have the ability to add and track new information as the campaign progresses.  Need a new city?  Click a button and have a randomized city appear, leveraging the community-driven random tables of dmmuse.com.  

It feels good to have this much code working smoothly in Javascript/HTML5 canvas in such short order!

Here's some sample output of my Javascript world generator, I hope to get it running in a live page soon.

The mini-map.  Note that desert areas appear in a more washed out color, and swampy areas (lower right) appear in a swampy greenish.

A portion of the wetlands that appear in the lower right of this generated world.  I can imagine the tribes of heathen lizardfolk and bullywugs just looking at this!

DMMuse.com Dungeon Generation Primer

DMMuse.com is a site where I publish random generators and tools for D&D.  Currently I've been working on a Dungeon Generator.  What makes the DMMuse.com Dungeon Generator different is its ability to accept content contributions from anyone.  This article describes how to add content to the generator.  The more people that add content, the fresher the generated dungeons will be for everyone!

Generator Syntax

Adding content to the Dungeon Generator involves adding new entries to various "tables" hosted at DMMuse.com.  When you add an entry to a table, you can optionally use DMMuse.com "generator syntax".  This is a powerful set of markup that lets you randomize and vary your entry's text each time that it's generated.  The full scope of the generator syntax is explained on this help page at DMMuse.com.

Dungeon Rooms

The Dungeon Generator works by first collecting a group of random room descriptions, and then building out a map to match those descriptions.  The room descriptions themselves come from a DMMuse.com table called Dungeon Rooms.

The entries in Dungeon Rooms follow a few conventions.  They start by the name of the room, in bold, followed by a comma, and then the room description.  To make text bold in an entry, enclose it in HTML bold tags - <b> and </b>.

Here's an example Dungeon Rooms entry:

<b>Empty Room</b>, not much to see here.

The entry can include a number of optional tags.  The first tag tells the Dungeon Generator to use a specific room shape template when generating the map for the room.  For example, to tell the Generator to always make the room square, do this:

<b>Square Room</b>, will always be square. template=square

The following is a list of shape templates that are currently available.  Check back, I will update this article as more shape templates are added:

cavern, circle, oval, shaft, small, square, warrens

The "decor" tag tells the Generator to add a piece of visual decoration to the room.  A few pieces of decor are available, more will be added in the future:

chasm, fountain, moat, water

The "inject" tag injects monsters into the dungeon room entry.  The tag should specify the name of the (D&D e5) monster, followed by a comma, followed by the number of monsters.  You can use dice notation when specifying this number.  For example, to add 1d6 orcs to a room:

<b>Orc Room</b>, they attack! inject=orc,1d6

Because of the way the Generator parses text, monster names that contain spaces can be problematic. For this reason, replace any spaces in a monster name with asterisks (*).  The Generate will replace these asterisks with spaces when it parses the text.

<b>Elemental Cavern</b>, a large natural cavern. inject=air*elemental,1d3

Dungeon Dressing

In addition to the rooms themselves, the Dungeon Generator adds pieces of dungeon dressing.  These are simple things like sounds, smells, scratches on the walls, or discarded gear, that add interest.  You can contribute dungeon dressing to DMMuse.com by adding entries to the Dungeon Dressing table.

Themes

The Dungeon Generator supports optional themes.  The user can select select one or more themes to add distinct flavor to the generated dungeon.  Themes are implemented by adding entries to two DMMuse.com tables, Dungeon Theme Flair, and Dungeon Theme Bosses, and by adding themed rooms to the Dungeon Rooms table itself.

To add a specially-themed dungeon room, use the "theme" tag at the end of the entry.  Below is a list of themes that DMMuse.com currently supports:

earth, darkness, kobold

To add a new kobold-themed rule, for example, add something like this to Dungeon Rooms:

<b>Kobold Room</b>, several of the [@PersonalityTraits] critters are here. theme=kobold inject=kobold,2d6

Dungeon Theme Flair items are special entries that can appear in dungeon rooms when the specified theme was selected.  Unlike other entries, you should preface the Dungeon Theme Flair entry with one of the following things ...

Contains: 
Trap: 
Monster: 

"Contains" entries are like pieces of dungeon dressing that correspond to the theme.  "Trap" entries are traps that are specific to the theme.  And "Monster" entries are monsters that might be used if the theme is selected.  Place the names of the monsters themselves in HTML bold tags.

Don't forget to append the appropriate "theme" tag at the end of these entries.  And note, unlike the other entries, these don't have periods at the end.  An example of each Dungeon Theme Flair is presented below:

Contains: a lone kobold egg, hatching theme=kobold

Trap: a jar of green slime breaks and shatters, triggered by [@TrapTriggers] theme=kobold

Monster: [2d6+2] <b>kobolds</b>, [1d4] of them riding <b>giant lizards</b> theme=kobold

The final piece of customization you can provide to a theme is a boss monster, represented by entries in the Dungeon Theme Bosses table.  Use HTML bold tags to enclose monster names, and explore the DMMuse.com random name generation capability to add a unique name to bosses.  Read more about random names in the Generator Syntax help page.

Here's an example kobold boss.  Note the "theme" tag at the end, don't forget this:

[RandomName;kobold] is the [king|head|ruler] of the tribe, a <b>kobold</b> "great wyrm" of some [stature|renown|intelligence] theme=kobold

There you have it!  Hopefully some of you will start adding your own entries, keeping the Dungeon Generator's results always fresh and surprising!

Rendering Dungeons

Been working on rendering the randomly generated dungeons in a more game-friendly format.  The 24-pixel tiling is looking pretty good.  I've got basic doors placed and rendered.  A next step will be adding some variety to the doors, to get secret doors, locked doors, iron-bound doors, bricked-up doorways, etc.  I want to also start keying these to a "difficulty level" input parameter.  The difficulty will also eventually drive things like trap placement and monsters.

Procedural Dungeons

Taking a small break from wilderness generation, on to the dungeons that will eventually be populating that wilderness.  Here's a sample 20 room dungeon layout based on a new algorithm that I just completed.

The dungeon generation library features a modular architecture based on room and passage "carvers".  The "carvers" create room and passage shapes in a variety of styles.  Since the system is modular, it will be easy to create specific environments, like caverns, mines, etc.

The next task here is to scan for door placement and render this in a format that's more usable for gaming.  Ultimately I see this as the basis for a DMMuse themed dungeon generator.

A Slicker Presentation

With the bulk of the terrain generation under my belt, I spent some time working on the visual presentation of the hex map.  I feel that the maps were looking too clunky and cluttered, with too many terrain icons.  Since I had a fully detailed elevation map at my disposal, why not use that to create nice looking gradient terrain hexes, rather than relying on terrain icons to represent everything?  I kept terrain icons for areas of high mountains and heavy forests, but the nice gradient of hex colors now presents a pleasing aesthetic to the map.

Oh, I also cleaned up river generation a bit more.  My prior algo was producing some truly crazy and maze like rivers.  While they looked interesting, they were decidedly not natural looking.  This algo uses the previous one to determine an ultimate destination for the river, but then lets the river move naturally toward that destination, while introducing some subtle, meandering variations.

I'm starting to collect my thoughts on the next steps, which will involve placing cultures and their artifacts (settlements, dungeons, ruins, etc) on the map!

Better Rivers

I cranked up the World Generator after a long hiatus, and promptly improved the river generation.  I had to first re-factor the generator to understand that it was creating a hex map instead of a 2D grid.  I then changed the river generation to render rivers along the center of hexes, rather than along hex-sides.

The rivers start at a high-elevation point on the map, then use a very simple algorithm to determine their flow.  I just pick the next hex of the river to be the neighbor hex with the lowest elevation, excluding any hexes already used for the particular river being generated.  The result are rivers that meander nicely, mimicking the winding rivers we find in nature.

Hex Terrain Mapping Complete

Wetlands Added

The terrain mapping for my fractal world generation is now complete, with the addition of swamps and an occasional fungal forest.  I decided to take the simple approach to swamps, and set a terrain hex to swamp if its moisture level was close to the high end, and the ground was level.  Fungal forests can appear in these same conditions, but can quickly grow to cover over much of the surrounding terrain, so they add somewhat of a wildcard to the mix.

Sample World

Here's the randomly seeded world #1482326029 (yes, you can regenerate the same world by supplying the seed value) in snapshot.  I went with 40% land and a size of 768x300 hexes.  This world happened to have a good range of terrains, from ultra-lush jungles and swamps to arid deserts.  I'll highlight a couple area of note.

Fertile Delta

Here a river flows between two mountain ranges, creating a fertile area of lush forests and jungles amidst a generally arid desert environment.

Fungal Forest

There happened to be only one fungal forest generated on this world, in the red box below.  This bizarre terrain could form the basis of quests to retrieve rare spell components.

Campaign Start?

I've often used islands as a starting point for campaigns.  Their limited geographic area established handy constraints for low level parties.  Once the potential adventures on the island are resolved, its time to board a ship and head for new shores.  The generator produces worlds with many realistic islands and archipelagos to pick from.

What's Next

Next steps will be laying the groundwork for introducing cultures/races into the world, the birth of settlements, conflicts, expansion, etc.

River Generation

Recap

With the terrain hexes of my fractal world generator mapped out, I have the basis of a campaign world in the form of a hex map.  The next important feature to add is rivers.

Rivers

Rivers should begin from the higher points on the map, and snake their way down until they hit a water hex.  I first randomly determine how many rivers to place on the map, and then build a list of candidate origin spaces which are the highest points in the elevation map.  I then take random candidates from the list, and ensure that they are not too close to the origins of previously formed rivers.

With the origin set, I look at the origin point's neighbor hexes, and move the river down into the one with the lowest elevation.  I repeat the process, winding the river down, until it's deposited into a water hex.

Moisture

For each of the hexes that contains a river, I bump up the moisture level.  The intention here is to potentially yield something like the Nile river, which cuts through a desert, but is flanked by lush vegetation.

Example

Here's a river originating in a colder region of the world, beginning in the mountain range to the west.  It snakes to the right, then up, and again to the right, to finally run off into the ocean.  Cutting through an area of cold desert, the moisture from the river causes evergreen forests and shrubland to grow along its banks.

Mapping Terrain Hexes

Recap

After completing the elevation map, temperature map, and moisture map, I'm ready to try and put these pieces together and determine terrain types for each hex on my dynamically generated fractal world.

Blur

Before tackling the terrain mapping, one aspect of the generated maps was bothering me.  They were too noisy.  Too many tiny island and lakes, more so than in natural world terrain.  I decided to apply two passes of a simple blur filter to the elevation map before the subsequent processing steps.  The results are more pleasing, but it's possible I might increase the number of blurs even more if the worlds still look too noisy.

Elevation Map with 2 Blur Passes

Terrain Mapping

I used the diagram below as a reference for mapping a point on the elevation map to a terrain.  First, I determine by the elevation if the hex is a flatland, hills, or mountain.  Then, I cross reference the temperature by the moisture to determine the appropriate terrain type.  For example, if it's a mountain hex, possible terrain types might be mountain, evergreen mountain, forested mountain, or jungle mountain.  I then made the tallest mountains on the maps into snow peaks, and threw in a minute chance of one or more volcanos popping up.

Terrain Mapping Results

Here's the example world above mapped to hexes.  The world is 768x300 hexes, or 230,400 total hexes.  I had to shrink the image quite a bit in order for blogger to accept it.  I like the shapes of the land masses, and the look of the mountain ranges.  If there's one thing I would tune, it would probably be to decrease the overall moisture level so more plains and shrub lands manifest.  But I think that the moisture control will be a tweakable dial in the final product, so you can create lush jungle worlds or barren desert worlds, as desired.

Since it's difficult to make out the individual hexes in this image, here's a section zoomed in.

What's Next?

I'm starting to consider how to populate the world with various fantasy races.  I'm leaning toward trying to model a simulated history.  Start by putting some primitive tribes on the map, let them advance and expand, and eventually come into contact and either ally or conflict, depending on their alignments.  As civilizations grow, settlements will spring into existence organically, and grow from villages to towns to cities, or might get razed by war and wind up as ruins.

But that's not immediately next in the development queue.  Next I'm going to integrate the other terrain types that haven't made an appearance yet, namely swamps and fungal forests.  Oh, and I almost forgot ... rivers.  And I might just start building those terrain hooks I talked about earlier, and throw some elemental portals into the mix to see how they mess up the climate and the resulting terrains.

Fast Moisture Simulation

Recap

In the previous post I described my attempt to model average precipitation (moisture) in my fractal world generator.  While the end result was acceptable, the amount of processing time needed to complete hundreds of cycles of simulated air circulation was too much.  I needed a faster approach.

Approximating

Rather than slavishly attempt to model every pixel of air movement, I decided to try a randomized approximation that would hopefully yield similar results.  My new moisture simulation performs 10 cycles of the following steps:

1. Adds a small amount of moisture to each point on the map.
2. Determine a random offset to the left/right and up/down.  Rather than 1 pixel shifts like in my previous model, the maximum offset is 20% of the map size, and the minimum 5%.
3. Take an image of the elevation map, shift it by the offset amount, and use the elevation values to modify the moisture map.  Low elevations will add to the moisture map, and higher elevations will subtract from it.

Results

Approximated Moisture Map

Here are the results applied to the same fractal world as the previous example.  On the plus side, this method resulted in more amorphous moisture blobs, which I think will work better once this data is used to map to terrain hexes.  We still have low moisture areas (blue) which will translate to deserts, but they aren't as precisely defined as the previous method.  Bottom line, I think this approach will yield a result just as usable as the more intensive method, at about one hundredth of the processing time required, so it's a win!

Moisture Simulation

Recap

I'm developing a random RPG campaign map generator, and have the following pieces in place:

• Elevation Map
• Basic Hex Mapping
• Temperature Map

Precipitation

The next piece of the puzzle is generating a moisture map that represents the average precipitation at each point on the world.  A combination of the temperature, moisture, and elevation will ultimately determine which hex terrain is chosen for a particular point.

Algorithm

My first pass at modeling precipitation can be summed up as:

1. Create several randomized wind bands.  Winds will blow left to right across the map, but these randomized zones will provide some cross-currents.
2. Complete a number of cycles of simulated air circulation.  The number of cycles is set to the width of the map.  With the maps I am currently working with, this means 768 cycles of simulated air circulation.  For each cycle:
1. For every water point on the map, add a small amount of moisture to that point.
2. Use the wind bands to "blow" the air map one space.
3. Subtract a small amount of moisture from each point, based on the elevation at that point.  This step is intended to simulate the deserts that can form next to mountain ranges.

Results

The example below shows a simulated moisture map after 768 cycles of simulated air circulation.  I'm generally pleased with the result.  The mountains in the upper left continent are producing a large desert region, there are numerous areas of moderate moisture which will map to plains, and much of the map has high moisture, which will lead to forests and jungles, depending on the temperate in the area.

The only problem with the approach is the processing time involved.  It takes about 15 seconds of processing to complete the 768 cycles of simulated air circulation.  I think I can create a simpler approach that will be orders of magnitude faster, and still produce acceptable results.

Elevation Map

Moisture Map after 768 cycles

Temperature Zones

Recap

Work on my fractal world and dynamic campaign map generator continues.  With an elevation map in place, and basic hex mapping accomplished, this next step will move us toward ultimately more realistic terrain.

Research

My crash course in biome generation led me to Community and Ecosystem Dynamics, which I think has most of what I need to get an adequate model developed.  After digesting most of this, I concluded that the first step would be dividing the world into temperature zones.

Algorithm

I implemented a simple algorithm to produce a temperature map of the world, based on a minimum and a maximum temperature as parameters.  The default minimum temperature is -15˚ C., and the default maximum is 30˚ C.  You'll be able to supply different parameters to generate colder or warmer worlds as desired.

The exact temperature at each point on the map is calculated by the longitude (assuming an equator at the center), and the elevation, with a slight randomization applied.

Example

In the example below, note how areas of higher elevation have an overall cooling effect on the region.

Fractal World Elevation Map

Corresponding Temperature Map

Future Hooks

As the project progresses, I will need to add hooks into the fractal world generator to account for localized anomalies in temperature.  For example, in my home D&D campaign, there are numerous portals into various elemental planes that make their surrounding regions much colder or hotter.  Also, certain large monsters could have an affect on the surrounding climate.  It will be exciting, for example, to produce a large localized region of cold from an elemental portal and see the resulting terrain get generated as tundra and ice fields.

Fractal World Mapped to Hexes

Mapping to Hexes

In day two of my dynamic campaign world generator development I built a rough translation of the elevation maps from yesterday into a hex grid.  I did a very basic mapping of elevation values to three "terrains", green for plains, yellow for hills, brown for mountains.  This mapping is purely temporary.  As the project advances I plan to build a climate and biome generator which will ultimately produce more varied and interesting terrain.

Different Worlds

The fractal world generator can produce worlds in a variety of styles.  For the two examples below, I decided to crank up the generator to 768x200 pixels.  Since each pixel of the fractal world will map to a hex, this gives us a campaign world of 153,600 hexes.  I plan to use a scale of 5 miles per hex myself, so this will give me a campaign map of 3,840 x 1,000 miles.  Of course, the size parameters will be adjustable in the final product.

The first example shows a world with three distinct continents, separated by oceans, with a few smaller land masses.

In contrast, this world is more amorphous, with numerous chains of islands connecting the larger continents.

Let's take a look at the amorphous world with the basic hex mapping applied.  Quite a bit of terrain there to populate and explore!  The next step will be working on the climate and biome generator to start producing some forests, swamps, deserts, and more.

Fractal Worlds

A World at the Press of a Button

The idea of generating a complete campaign world at the press of a virtual button is very intriguing to me.  My appreciation of randomness in RPGs began when I was surprised by how playable the random dungeons generated in the Warhammer Quest tabletop game were.  With a well-seeded set of random tables, an interesting story will unfold.

The Concept

There is already some great groundwork for dynamic campaign world generation out there, and new projects like Worldspinner look very promising.  But I'm going to take on the challenge of creating a campaign world generator as well.  My twist: the project will be powered by my DMMuse.com database of random tables and generators.

DMMuse is a curated, open repository of RPG generators.  The idea is for community members to help populate the tables, resulting in an ever-growing store of value.  With the DMMuse framework well established, I have an engine that can generate the random settlements, adventure locations, and lairs that will eventually populate the procedurally generated campaign world.

First Step - Elevation Map

The first step in creating the world is getting a basic world map.  I implemented a fractal world builder that spits out an elevation map of a randomly generated world.  An example is shown above.  This particular map is 150x100 pixels in size.  When converted to a hex map, that gives us a campaign map of 15,000 hexes.

Taking this elevation map and converting it into a basic hex map will be the next step in the process.

Making Gems Fun

I like to make finding gems an exciting experience for the players in my campaign, and here are some tools to help you accomplish this.

Gem Tokens

Download the PDF below, print a few copies on card stock, and cut out the gem tokens as needed.  I keep a stack of the lower base value tokens handy, and cut out the higher base value tokens as needed.

Gem Tokens PDF

Finding Gems

When PCs discover gems as part of a treasure, determine how many they find, and the base value level of the gems.  Use your discretion as DM.  If they're in a low-risk environment, the base level would be 10gp.  Deeper in the dungeon, the base level would be higher.  As a reminder, the base gem value levels from the DMG are:

10gp
50gp
100gp
500gp
1,000gp
5,000gp

Randomize

Have someone in the party roll a number of d6's equal to the number of gems found.  For each 1 rolled, that particular gem goes down by 1 base level (if it's above 10gp).  For each 6 rolled, that gem goes up 1 base level (if it isn't already at 5,000gp).

These 1's and 6's are exploding dice.  For example, if a player found a 10gp base gem, and rolled a 6 for it, the value is bumped up to a 50gp base.  They then roll that die again.  Another 6 means another bump up to 100gp, and keep going until a 6 is not rolled.

Distribute the Loot

Reach into your gem token stacks and give them a gem token for each gem found.

Using Gems for Rituals

This is a completely optional house rule that I instituted for my campaign.  I felt that there was not enough cost to performing rituals (basically a time cost only).  So I established that you need 50gp worth of gems per spell level to cast a spell as a ritual.  The gems are consumed in the process.

Appraising Gems

Players can visit a gem shop in a settlement to appraise, cash in, and exchange gems.  During this process, the gemologist might determine that an individual gem is worth less, or more than its base value.  The cost for the service is 1gp per gem.  Have the player roll 1d10 for each gem being appraised.

If a die comes up a 1 or 10, consult the tables below.  Roll on the Gem Flaws table for 1's, and the Gem Bonuses table for 10's.  Then, roll that die again, repeating the procedure, until a 1 or 10 is not rolled.  You might wind up with an unusually large, finely-cut, exceptionally clear garnet that's worth more than a diamond.

Gem Flaws - d4
1. Smaller than normal, value halved
2. Cracked, value halved
2. Flawed, value quartered
3. Unusually cloudy, value quartered

Gem Bonuses - d4
1. Larger than normal, value increased by half
2. Exceptionally clear, value increased by half
3. Striking color, value doubled
4. Unusual and exquisite cut, value increased by 100-400%.

Do it Yourself

Any PC with proficiency in Jeweler's Tools can spend a Short Rest or longer appraising gems themselves.

Using Equipment Cards in D&D 5e

I use small cards to represent gear and other physical items that the PCs possess in my game.  I found that a standard index card cut in half is the perfect size for a gear/item card.

On the card I write the item's name, some important stats, such as attack and damage if it's a weapon, or it's illumination range if it's a torch or lantern.  If the item has multiple instances, like a group of torches or pitons, I write a number of circles on the card.  The player scratches out a circle as they consume an item.

On the bottom right hand corner of the card I write the item's weight.  This makes it easy for players to total up their weight for purposes of calculating encumbrance.  You'd be amazed at how quickly the weight of gear adds up, especially if you're using the Encumbrance Variant rule from the PHB.  All of the PCs in my game are at -10 speed.  A backpack can mitigate this, and I'll detail how I use this lowly piece of gear in a future post.

Now in my games, a PC doesn't have something unless they have the card.  This can really make the players feel the sting of losing items.  It's more painful to give up a physical card than it is to erase something from a character sheet.  The system makes it easy for players to exchange items (just swap cards), or to store their gear in a common pool in their wagon (throw all the common cards in a plastic baggie).

I also took advantage of this system when an NPC in the party started stealing from the group.  Whenever this thief succeeded at his DEX(Sleight of Hand) roll contested by the PC's Passive Perception, I surreptitiously removed the gear card(s) from their stacks between sessions.  Fortunately for the party they eventually caught the thief NPC red handed and quickly put an end to his shenanigans ... by killing him.  When they went through the slain NPC's gear cards, there was quite a laugh when they saw all of the items that he'd pilfered from them.

Making Passive Perception more Fun

I've had a love/hate relationship with D&D 5e Passive Perception since I first read the rule.  On the one hand, it's nice to have a simple way to resolve whether or not the PCs notice something without tipping your hand as a DM and calling for a WIS(Perception) Check.  On the other hand, the static nature of the Passive Perception takes some randomness out of the game that I miss.

When I design a dungeon, I don't want to know that the PCs will notice a secret door with a DC of 15 because of the highest Passive Perception in the party.  I still want there to be a chance that they don't notice the door.  On the other hand, I also want there to be a chance that they do notice a door that they normally wouldn't based on Passive Perception.

My solution is to pre-roll a number of WIS(Perception) Checks.  Each PC gets a row on an index card, and I first write their name and their WIS(Perception) modifier.  Then I partition the card into a number of columns, make some dice rolls, and write down the results.  When I need one or more Passive Perception values during play, I look at the next result on the card.  Once I use a value, I scratch it out.

In this way, I can keep the suspense of Passive Perception, and still have the uncertainty that a die roll brings to the situation.

5e DMG Encounter Tables - Vulture Hills

The 5e DMG offers an elegant example of a random encounter table driven by a d8+d12 roll.  The outliers of the table represent very rare encounters/events, and the entries nearer the center of the table are more common ones.  The table contains several plain old monster encounters, but it also has a fair number of environmental encounters, and even an NPC.  The encounters, taken together, form a kind of story that has the potential for occurring in the sylvan forest that the table was constructed for.

The DMG contains only one example table, a sylvan forest.  The idea is that you (the DM) create one of these tables for each region in your world that the PCs have a chance of wandering into.  The story potential in the table drives the campaign forward into new and exciting directions.  The random nature of this system means that not even the DM knows in advance exactly how that story will unfold.

When constructing a random encounter table, be sure to have a few different factions present in the target region.  I present an example of my own below, of one of the hill regions in my campaign, the region of Vulture Hills.  I had previously established that these hills were subject to flash floods, and home to a variety of unsavory denizens, including tribes of savage ape-men.  I introduced a group of dwarf miners establishing a colony named Pickfarther as another faction, and also make liberal use of the region's namesake vultures.

Vulture Hills Encounters (d8+d12)

2. Zixius (adult black dragon) flying overhead, DC20 Perception Check (+11) to spot party.  2d6 rounds to arrive, they'd better find a hiding place before he does!
3. A spontaneous thunderstorm erupts.  Unless party indicates they are seeking high ground, a flash flood sweeps them away.  DC15 DEX save or character is swept away.  Each character swept away must make a DC15 CON save or take 2d10 bludgeoning damage (save halves).  Must also make a DC10 DEX save or lose what they were holding.  A roll of 1 indicates they lose their backpack as well.  The swept away characters are deposited in an unknown area, lost.
4. A small side cave contains figures and maps painted on the walls.  A crude representation of a dragon, and the rough location of Zixius' lair.
5. A number of vultures are seen circling in the distance.  If investigated, they are seen eating the remains of an adventuring party.  Characters can fight off the 2d6 vultures, of wait them out (1 day).  On the remains are found several pieces of mundane gear, some silver, and a map to a nearby tomb.
6. 2d4 red ape-men bringing tribute to Zixius' lair
7. 2d4 ape-men hunting party carrying their catch (goat, elk, etc).
8. Remains of 2d4 ape-men dissolved in a huge pool of acid.
9. Two rival ape-men tribes fighting, 2d6 in each group.
10. Narrow, winding gullies confuse the party.  Navigator must make a DC20 WIS(Survival) roll or the party becomes lost.
11. 3d6 hungry and aggressive blood hawks.
12. 2d4 elk (75%) or 1d2 giant elk (25%), grazing peacfully.
13. 1d4 giant goat, running from 2d4 ape-men hunters.
14. Unstable slope gives way.  Each character must make a DC15 DEX save or suffer 1d10 bludgeoning damage as they tumble down the side.
15. An ancient ice dwarf shrine carved into the side of a vertical cliff.  A DC20 INT(Religion) check allows a willing character to undertake the proper ritual and receive a boon of 1 extra inspiration token.
16. 1d4 giant vultures.
17. 2d4 dwarf prospectors, lost, looking for way back to Pickfarther base.
18. A dying dwarf peppered with crossbow bolts.  Was ambushed by ape-men.  Can be stabilized with a DC15 WIS(Medicine) check, or magical healing.  If characters escort him back to Pickfarther base they are rewarded with 2d6x10 gold.
19. Flies buzz around the remains of a gutted dwarf staked to a tree.  (Ape-men don't like dwarf flesh).
20. Front rank characters detect this natural pit on a Passive Perception check of 15+.  Failure leads to collapse, DC15 DEX save or fall down 20' shaft into the entry chamber of a new dungeon.

Beseech the Dwarf Ancients

1st-level divination

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S, M (burnt incense)

Duration: Instantaneous

This spell lets you communicate with a statue, sculpture, painting, or other representation of a dwarf that was crafted by dwarf craftsmen.  At 1st-level, you can ask the object a single question relating to the current dungeon level.  This usage of the spell will not work if the object has been removed from the dungeon level it was found in.  The statue, painting, etc. animates and answers the question in a simple and straightforward manner.

At Higher Levels.  Dwarven casters can automatically cast the spell at 2 levels higher than the slot they consume.  When you cast this using a 3rd-level spell slot, you can ask a question relating to the entire dungeon.  This usage will not work if the object was removed from the dungeon.  With a 5th-level slot, the actual spirit of the dwarf represented manifests, and will answer any question that it knew in life.  At 7th-level, you can ask up to three questions.  At 9th-level, you can carry on a conversation lasting up to 10 minutes.