I am planning to run a Root RPG campaign soon, and after searching online I've found pretty much nothing as far as third party fan content for this game. I dig the travel system in this game, but the official books have nothing for encounters, so let's start with some encounter tables for hits and misses for both path and forest travel. Fans of the Root board game may recognize some of the expansion pieces like the Landmark locations and Hirelings that I've worked into these tables.
I have already started working on stat blocks for creatures like Ripper the Bear as well as a few of my own clearings, so more to come. Is the turkey witch's name Gobble Yaga? I don't see why not.
Forest Travel: Dangerous Encounters (d20)
1. Ripper the Rampaging Bear
2. a hungry mountain lion
3. rival vagabond(s)
4. the party becomes lost- everyone mark 1 exhaustion & 1 depletion, then roll the travel roll again
5. territorial family of wild boar
6. unfriendly faction border patrol or scouting party
7. nest of angry wasps
8. an ancient trap
9. clouds of biting black flies- everyone mark 1 additional exhaustion
10. forest night creepers- everyone mark 1 additional depletion
11. bad weather- the group marks depletion totaling the number in the party (divided however they choose)
12. giant carnivorous plant
13. The Great Wyrm - giant river crocodile
14. bandit raiders
15. indigenous forest-dwelling squirrel tribe armed with poisoned arrows
16. bounty hunter who has been hired to track/capture/kill one or more of the group
17. giant pit viper
18. giant spider
19. strange wailing sounds in the night keep everyone awake- everyone mark 1 exhaustion
20. biting poisonous ants- everyone mark 1 exhaustion or 1 injury
Forest Travel: Interesting Sights (d20)
1. Ripper the Rampaging Bear's cave
2. abandoned Lizard Cult garden
3. bones and tracks left by the Great Wyrm
4. Cervus, Elk Lord of the forest - The Stoic Protector
5. hut of the Witch of the Wood (turkey)
6. ancient mine
7. ancient tomb
8. abandoned clearing, overtaken by the forest
9. entrance to an ancient tunnel system
10. markers of the ancient glade of a Foxfolk druid
11. The Elder Treetop
12. The Black Market
13. The Legendary Forge
14. The Lost City
15. a lone traveler
16. ancient dungeon
17. ruin of an ancient Eyrie stronghold
18. smugglers hidden cache
19. Woodland Alliance secret weapons cache
20. a safe and comfortable spot to camp
Path Travel: Dangerous Situations (d20)
1. bandits pretending to be denizens needing help with a broken wagon
2. bandits have felled a tree to block the path
3. bandits openly blocking path demanding a toll
4. random faction checkpoint looking for Woodland Alliance, will accuse anyone (esp those with notoriety)
5. random faction soldiers arresting a vagabond for smuggling
6. random faction soldiers arresting denizens they accuse of being spies
7. Woodland Alliance forces disguised as another faction
8. random faction soldiers harassing denizens
9. angry mob of denizens looking for faction soldiers they are accusing of crimes
10. three dead faction soldiers on the path, more soldiers step out from the wood- "You there!"
11. mousefolk band performing a roadside concert while mousefolk children deftly pick pockets of onlookers
12. random faction armed checkpoint
13. random faction armed checkpoint
14. random faction armed checkpoint
15. random faction patrol
16. random faction patrol
17. random faction patrol
18. random faction patrol stopped for break/lunch/camp
19. random faction patrol stopped for break/lunch/camp
20. random faction patrol stopped for break/lunch/camp
*Random factions should usually be chosen from the factions that are present in the clearings adjacent to the path that the vagabonds are currently on, though if it makers narrative sense for another faction to be there go for it
Path Travel: Noteworthy Encounters (d20)
1. traveling circus, packed and on the move
2. traveling theater troop, packed and on the move
3. young rabbitfolk denizen children selling tea and biscuits
4. traveling denizens struggling to fix a damaged wagon
5. Lizard Cult street preacher
6. Riverfolk Company pop-up general store
7. denizen refugees
8. non-hostile faction patrol
9. supply shipment
10. heavily armed caravan secretly transporting an important faction leader
11. denizens arguing politics
12. propagandist for a nearby faction speaking to a crowd
13. prisioner transport
14. troops of nearby faction hanging wanted posters (anyone with notoriety is among those wanted)
15. local faction trying to recruit soldiers
16. displaced refugee denizens begging for alms
17. dead soldiers hanging from a tree over the path as a warning
18. off duty faction soldiers drinking and taunting travelers
19. denizens providing soup and tea to refugees
20. helpful npc who recognizes the vagabonds
