Staff Pick
I listen to a lot of actual play podcasts (I know, I’m incredibly cool), and Very Random Encounters is the cream of the crop. They use a number of systems, but their basic premise is randomizing as much as they can, from stats to names to villains to settings. It’s always a delight, and has made me want to add some randomness to my own games (I know, I’m incredibly cool). The VRE crew’s new book facilitates just that, and is the perfect addition to any tabletop gamer’s collection! Whatever system you use, these random encounter tables and prompts are sure to liven up your game. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Take your gaming campaign to the next level with this inspiring, easy-to-use collection of random encounters perfect for any fantasy RPG.
Spark your imagination fast with this collection of fun, engaging, and inspiring random encounter prompts. These expertly written options are organized into popular themes and locations so you can find what you need fast, whether you choose from the list or use the dice to choose randomly. With fantasy hooks to fit every game from Pathfinder to GURPS to D&D, there are options for all of your campaigns.
Whether you’re playing from a game book or weaving your own home-brewed adventure, there’s always a need for short random encounters in between set pieces. Featuring fun full-color illustrations, you’ll engage more in your story and bring your game to life!
About the Author
Travis “Wheels” Wheeler (they/them) has discovered an ancient magical artifact that allows them to add an extra 12 hours into every day, just enough extra time to make multiple weekly podcasts and act as behind the scenes editor for many more, including Interstitial and Got it Memorized? They live in chilly Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but hail from the slightly less chilly Muskegon, Michigan, USA.
Logan Jenkins (he/him) helps edit, create music, and make art and designs for the Very Random Encounters podcast. He lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with his boyfriend where he has a whole bookcase devoted to RPG books, and wishes he had more time to play them all.
Lee Terrill (she/her) hasn’t met an RPG yet that she doesn’t like. Her main hobby, outside of gaming, is mostly collecting other hobbies but you can also find her every week on the podcast Very Random Encounters where she plays many diverse characters with extremely similar southern accents. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with her husband and their incredibly needy cat, The Stig.
Greg Leatherman (he/him) graduated with a degree in Theater Arts, he’s put all those skills into bringing characters to life in his favorite pastime playing Tabletop RPGs, and self-publishing his own award-winning RPG called Glitter Hearts in 2020. You can hear him on many other podcasts, like Mythical and It’s Super Effective. He lives in Minneapolis with his husband and two dogs fending off the cold winters.