Quick Side Quest Generator – 3d20

Don’t like down time? Need a fun task to take a break? Ask around any tavern, shrine, gatehouse, or quay and roll d20 for a bite-sized adventure hook…

Party nowhere near the location? Did you roll a time-critical event and you’re 4 days away by wagon? Simply swap out the place-name for something more appropriate.

Players roll the quest, DM rolls complications and rewards…
 

  1. Lost Ring: A caravan master from Geldcrass lost a sentimental ring to bandits – get it back for him. Roll for Bandit Attack when you find the perpetrators.
  2. Lantern for the Bay: A widow in Geldpont begs you to float her late son’s lantern; thieves plan to rob mourners during the ceremony.
  3. Steps of the Mother: In Rochpont, a porter dropped an important reliquary somewhere off the cliff stairs – recover it before the tide snatches it away.
  4. Rice for Remedies: Sandmar Abbey needs rare marsh herbs tonight for a feverward; smugglers use the same channel after dusk.
  5. The Toll Recount: In Lantear, a toll token went missing; prove a crooked agent is double-charging caravans.
  6. Wagon on the Brink: A grain cart near Frey snapped an axle above a ravine. Save the cargo before weather or bandits take it.
  7. Cloak or Coin: At Draktun’s Pass Gate, a merchant friend has been “fined” into ruin. Negotiate, bribe, or outsmart the Red Cloaks to return at least half his money.
  8. Pilgrim’s Promise: In Bim, deliver a vow-scroll to the Chapel of First Light before sunset – except someone has paid bandits to steal it. Roll bandit encounter.
  9. Salt and Silence: Cove fishers report lights skimming the shallows; stake out the mudflats and find out who’s landing what.
  10. Mother’s Egg Echoes: Children in Frey heard chanting inside a new crack on the hill; check it before someone falls – or wakes something.
  11. Countinghouse Cut: A junior clerk in Lantear needs proof their master forged futures contracts; the papers are in a locked loft.
  12. Bridge of Crates: In New Haven, a barge is sinking under “donated” cargo. Save the crew and uncover who planted the extra weight.
  13. Goat of Note: A prized cliff-goat in Rochpont keeps stealing pilgrims’ offerings. Track it; its collar hides a tiny key.
  14. Grain of Truth: Geldcrass drovers suspect weeviled wheat swapped in the night. Tail the saboteur through the market alleys.
  15. Wax and Worry: A candlemaker in Bim created a votive from black “river glass” which hums when lit. Deliver it to scholars in High Temple – quietly.
  16. Fairwater Dare: A ferryman in Fairpont needs a strong party to move a heavy chest to a wagon at moonrise. Is there movement inside?
  17. Peninsula Payout: Someone in Geldsan saw a laden crate drift under the docks during a storm. It looked like it was marked Aranthaes Mint.
  18. Lanterns on the Tear: Boatmen in Lantear ask you to escort a funeral skiff at midnight; shadowy oars follow in silence, but what danger lurks beneath?
  19. Second Name: A forger in New Haven is offering papers of land ownership to a naive traveler. The papers carry a Lordship title.
  20. Temple Whisper: A pilgrim heading to Bim found a heavy sealed parchment at a roadside temple, marked O. Thorne; deliver it into the right hands.

 

Complications (DM Rolls)

Every small job has a snag. Roll d20 for a twist that changes the task’s stakes…

  1. Storm Breaks: Heavy rain, high wind, or sudden fog makes travel or sailing twice as hard.
  2. Already Taken: Another party is on the same job – rivals, allies, or foes?
  3. No Pay Today: The quest-giver’s purse is empty; they offer promises, favors, or goods instead.
  4. Wrong Target: What seemed simple turns out to involve a guild, shrine, or noble family.
  5. Extra Witness: A nosy child, drunk, or dog tags along and complicates everything.
  6. Bad Timing: A holy day, market closure, or festival crowds make the task twice as awkward.
  7. It’s a Setup: The hook was bait for an ambush – Red Cloaks, bandits, or cultists.
  8. False Trail: The item, person, or clue is missing, moved, or counterfeit.
  9. Personal Stake: One of the party has a family tie, debt, or rival involved in the matter.
  10. Local Trouble: Guards, toll-keepers, or priests take sudden interest in the party’s actions.
  11. Dark Omen: Strange lights, whispers, or animals behaving oddly unsettle locals and PCs alike.
  12. Too Late: Someone else has beaten the party to the task – but left traces to follow.
  13. Unwanted Cargo: The quest involves smuggling, cursed goods, or a creature hidden in the load.
  14. Secret Strings: The quest-giver is working for another faction, hiding their true aim.
  15. Escalation: What was a quick task becomes dangerous: thugs, wild beasts, or magic involved.
  16. Witness Gone: A key NPC disappears mid-quest – kidnapped, bribed, or fleeing in fear.
  17. Crossroads Cost: Toll or tariff must be paid to even start or finish the job.
  18. Local Curse: Superstitions cling to the task: locals refuse to help, or actively hinder it.
  19. Bigger Fish: The hook angers a guild, cult, or noble house that expected obedience.
  20. Twist of Fate: The quest rewards something unexpected — a relic, a map, or a debt marker.

 

Rewards (DM Rolls on Completion)

Roll d20 to see what the party earns for their trouble…

  1. Coin Purse: 2d20 silver pieces in a leather pouch, worn but honest.
  2. Festival Token: A stamped copper chit redeemable for food and drink at the next local fair.
  3. Lucky Charm: A carved bone amulet; grants +1 on a single saving throw when used.
  4. Hearty Meal: A feast of bread, meat, and ale at a local inn — restores 1d6 HP.
  5. Favor Owed: The quest-giver promises their help in the future; worth a free service or safe bed.
  6. Travel Papers: Toll-free passage at the next weigh gate or river ferry.
  7. Rare Ingredient: A pouch of exotic spice, herb, or incense — worth 10 gp or prized by alchemists.
  8. Old Map Scrap: A tattered page hinting at ruins, caves, or a hidden shrine nearby.
  9. Blessing: A cleric or pilgrim inscribes a blessing; grants +1 to attack rolls until next dawn.
  10. Unusual Trinket: A glass bead, seashell, or coin from a far-off land; seemingly worthless, but memorable.
  11. Weapon Repair: A smith sharpens or reforges one weapon — grants +1 damage for the next 1d4 fights.
  12. Drinks on the House: Free ale in the local tavern, which may also loosen tongues and rumors.
  13. Pouch of Gems: 1d4 small semi-precious stones, worth 25 gp each.
  14. Piece of Armor: A salvaged shield, helm, or bracer; +1 AC until it breaks on a natural 1.
  15. Curious Pet: A goat, dog, or brightly feathered bird gifted as thanks — may cause trouble or delight.
  16. Healing Draught: A single vial of herbal tonic; heals 1d8 HP when drunk.
  17. Guild Contact: A merchant, smith, or sailor now owes the party a small favor in their trade.
  18. Rumor: Information about a hidden cache, enemy weakness, or secret meeting — worth more than coin.
  19. Fine Cloak: A cloak of good make (10 gp) that provides advantage on one Persuasion check when worn.
  20. Mystery Box: A locked small chest, rattling faintly. It contains a single card from a D.O.M.T. – could be coin, power, or trouble.