Using AI to Make Adventures (5e Sourcebook)/Random Tables

In OpenAi Playground Edit Mode, you can write the framework for a random table and have the AI populate it for you.

Monster Table Example

My Input is:

A random event table for a fire and lava themed dungeon.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

The instruction was:

Populate the list

The output was:

1. A group of 4 firenewts.

2. 12 fire beetles.

3. A fire elemental

4. A fire giant and his entourage.

5. A fire elemental and 4 firenewts.

6. A fire elemental and 16 fire beetles.

7. A fire giant and 4 firenewts.

8. A fire giant and 16 fire beetles.

9. A fire elemental, a fire giant and 4 firenewts.

10. A fire elemental, a fire giant and 16 fire beetles.

In this case, I think it was too rigid in following the theme of the dungeon. We also want encounters that are not just monsters, but events.

Increase the Temperature

Playground has a slider called "Temperature" that controls "randomness".

Decreasing it makes the output more repetitive or deterministic. The default value is 0.7. Reducing this to 0.5 made a repetitive list, mostly consisting of a single fire newt.

Increasing temperature to 1 gave more descriptive results:

A random encounter table for a fire and lava themed dungeon.

1. A row of flame spews across the hall, blocking your path.

2. A spider starts to run along the wall, only to burn off as it hits the charred stone.

3. The walls sweat a black ooze.

4. A quick peak inside of the nearby rooms shows nothing useful.

5. To your left, a guard watches over dozens of goblins, who are carrying spears and wearing arab cloth.

6. As you walk, the corridors becomes full of heat. It’s unbearable, but you’re somewhat resilient to it thanks to your magic and armor.

7. A bush-walking lunges and grabs at you, wrapping you up in its tendrils.

8. The silver pot next to the brazier is filled with a thick, black mud that smells like burning hair.

9. A camp has been set up under the stairs. A fire burns in a circle of ten guards, sleeping behind their shields and with hand-axes next to them. Their wands are tucked into their belts and their feet all rest on their packs.

10. You stand in front of a thin grid of metal. One of the metal sticks is loose, like a lever.

And another run:

A random encounter table for a fire and lava themed dungeon.

1. Broody Dwarf priest of fire god

2. Cheerful Kobold miner, human soul bound as an inextinquishable lantern

3. Crystal Golem

4. Elder Fire Elemental

5. Ghostly Lava Golem

6. Hellish Brigand with Flame Sword

7. Laborer Man from a Fire Cult

8. Lava Magician with magic Wand of Firebolts

9. Efreeti prisoner

10. Tamed Fire Lemon (summoned creature)

The Dungeon of Deyeneerex

Let's use the input text from an earlier example, The Dungeon of Deyeneerex.

I am going to make a massive d100 encounter table, using a mixture of instructions and temperatures. For example, for the first 10 monsters, I added the instruction "For each item give the monster a different purpose in the dungeon". The AI does seem to understand what the monster "types" are!

The Dungeon of Deyeneerex is located beneath the Temple of Flora, the entrance hidden by a heavy stone slab. The Dungeon was created by Mindflayers in 873 CE to force mind-slaves to mine iron ore. In 912 CE all the occupants were wiped out by a mysterious curse, and the Dungeon was abandoned for hundreds of years.

Random encounter table.

1. Gibbering Mouther - Wailing at the dead, it was sealed in a room and forgotten

2. Kobold - Sewer maintenance, a few are still alive

3. Mindflayer - Created the dungeon, some are still alive

4. Shadow - Guards, animated by the curse

5. Troglodyte - Lived in the caves before the dungeon was built, still here

6. Umber Hulk - Maintenance, a few are still alive

7. Aboleth - Summoned by the Mindflayers, it lurks in the depths

8. Gelatinous Cube - Cleaning the sewer, it was sealed in a room and forgotten

9. Sahuagin - Left behind by a raiding party, still here

10. Quaggoth - Summoned by the Mindflayers, it lurks in the depths

11. The PCs hear a distant rumble, like a great beast stirring in its sleep.

12. The PCs feel a breeze wafting through the corridors.

13. The PCs find a door that has been boarded up. The boards have no nails, and simply lean against the door.

14. The PCs find a sword in a scabbard. It is cold to the touch.

15. The PCs hear a door slam shut somewhere nearby.

16. The PCs find a small door, about 1 foot tall. The door is unlocked.

17. The PCs find a statue of a human. The statue has no eyes.

18. The PCs find a pool of water. It is warm to the touch.

19. The PCs find a painting of a human. The painting has no eyes.

20. The PCs find a mirror. The mirror has no reflection.

21. 3 Beholders: Protecting the mine.

22. 10 Drow: Protecting the mine.

23. 10 Drow + 1 Drow Mage: Protecting the mine.

24. 5 Drow + 1 Drow Mage: Protecting the mine.

25. 10 Ghouls: Captured and brought here to mine.

26. 10 Gnolls: Captured and brought here to mine.

27. 10 Hobgoblins: Captured and brought here to mine.

28. 10 Kobolds: Captured and brought here to mine.

29. 10 Lizardmen: Captured and brought here to mine.

30. 10 Mindflayers: Protecting the mine.

31. You find a set of tools for crafting armor.

32. You find a rusty sword.

33. You find a crude map of the dungeon.

34. You find a piece of a strange metal.

35. You find a piece of an old journal.

36. You find a scroll with a spell written on it.

37. You find a map of the city of Mirza.

38. You find a small pouch with a few coins in it.

39. You find a piece of a broken weapon.

40. You find a piece of a broken armor.

41. The room is filled with a cloud of yellow gas. (save vs poison or be confused for 1d4 turns)

42. A large boulder sits in the middle of the room. (dex save to avoid falling damage)

43. The room is covered in webs. (save vs paralysis or be entangled)

44. The room is completely empty. (there is nothing in the room)

45. The room is covered in a thick layer of snow. (cold damage)

46. The room is covered in a thick layer of ice. (cold damage)

47. The room is filled with a cloud of black gas. (save vs poison or be blinded for 1d4 turns)

48. The room is filled with a cloud of green gas. (save vs poison or take 1d4 poison damage)

49. The room is filled with a cloud of red gas. (save vs poison or take 1d4 fire damage)

50. The room is filled with a cloud of white gas. (save vs poison or take 1d4 cold damage)

51. Zia Kvothe, a human necromancer, investigating the ruins. She wears a silver skull mask, but never takes it off.

52. Hrolf the Silent, a dwarf paladin, on a quest to destroy a powerful undead that he believes is hiding in the dungeon. He is followed by a spectral mule.

53. Tresil Seymore, a gnome wizard, looking for spell components. He has three of his fingers tied together with a string.

54. Nohr D'Alessandro, a halfling cleric, searching for a holy relic. He wears a ring on each finger, and each ring has a different gemstone.

55. Aelind Mab, a half-elf bard, looking for adventure. He is dressed in tattered, filthy rags.

56. Noth Rog, a half-orc ranger, hunting for food. He has a strange tattoo on his forehead.

57. Hrom Frost, a human sorcerer, looking for knowledge. He has a book of spells that he keeps tucked into his belt.

58. Astri Caius, a human rogue, searching for treasure. He has a pouch of silver coins that he jingles constantly.

59. Ond The Mad, a human fighter, looking for a challenge. He has a black eye patch, but his left eye is not missing.

60. Ened Ildor, a human cleric, on a quest to destroy a powerful undead that he believes is hiding in the dungeon. He has a tatoo of a demon on his forehead.

61. A loud alarm sounds. All the doors in the dungeon close. They will remain closed for 1d4 hours. The alarm sounds for 10 minutes.

62. A secret door opens. It leads to a narrow passage that will lead the adventurers to a small hidden chamber. The secret door will remain open for 1d4 hours.

63. A strong wind blows from the east. All doors open. They will remain open for 1d4 hours. The wind blows for 10 minutes.

64. The floor shakes violently. Roll 1d6. On a 1-3, all doors in the dungeon close. On a 4-6, all doors in the dungeon open. The doors will remain in their new state for 1d4 hours. The shaking lasts for 1 minute.

65. A small earthquake rocks the dungeon. All torches and lanterns are extinguished. All doors close. They will remain closed for 1d4 hours. The earthquake lasts for 1 minute.

66. A powerful stench fills the room. Any character in the room must make a DC 16 CON save or be poisoned for 1d4 hours. The stench lasts for 1 minute.

67. The ground shakes. Roll 1d6. On a 1-3, all doors in the dungeon close. On a 4-6, all doors in the dungeon open. The doors will remain in their new state for 1d4 hours. The shaking lasts for 1 minute.

68. A trapdoor opens in the ceiling. A rope ladder drops down. A mind-slave is at the top of the ladder. He has a club and a bag of 20 caltrops. He will not fight the adventurers. He will attempt to escape to the surface. The trapdoor will remain open for 1d4 hours.

69. A loud roar is heard from the east. All doors in the dungeon close. They will remain closed for 1d4 hours. The roar lasts for 1 minute.

70. A secret door opens. It leads to a narrow passage that will lead the adventurers to a small hidden chamber. The secret door will remain open for 1d4 hours.

71. a high-pitched whining

72. a rhythmic clanging

73. a low moaning

74. a series of dull thuds

75. a whistling hiss

76. a series of piercing shrieks

77. a low-pitched growling

78. a grinding, like stone on stone

79. a low-pitched thumping

80. a high-pitched chittering