Randomness is especially important for the exploration "pillar".
I wholeheartedly recommend the excellent Kingmaker AP from Paizo as a study in how random encounters make the world alive. They are not just background noise, but foreshadow important foes or allies in the narrative. They are also an occasional tool for the DM to introduce plot hooks and some "quests" can be solved through a random encounter.
[sblock=Spoiler: 1st Part of Kingmaker]In the first part of the AP there are quests for defeating six bandits and finding a tatzlwyrm's head. Both can be solved by running into a random encounter.
Random encounters with both mites (evil fey) and kobolds are common, and both parties are important about halfway through the adventure.[/sblock]
[sblock=Spoiler: 2nd Part of Kingmaker]In the second part, quests call for troll blood, sap of a shambling mound. Again, they can be solved by running into a random encounter. Trolls are one of the main problems in this adventure and could be encountered already in the first part of the AP.
Once the bandit lord is defeated in the first part, bandit activity in the area is reduced and the encounter tables no longer include bandits. They also don't include mites, since the assumption is that those were also defeated in the first part.[/sblock]
I wholeheartedly recommend the excellent Kingmaker AP from Paizo as a study in how random encounters make the world alive. They are not just background noise, but foreshadow important foes or allies in the narrative. They are also an occasional tool for the DM to introduce plot hooks and some "quests" can be solved through a random encounter.
[sblock=Spoiler: 1st Part of Kingmaker]In the first part of the AP there are quests for defeating six bandits and finding a tatzlwyrm's head. Both can be solved by running into a random encounter.
Random encounters with both mites (evil fey) and kobolds are common, and both parties are important about halfway through the adventure.[/sblock]
[sblock=Spoiler: 2nd Part of Kingmaker]In the second part, quests call for troll blood, sap of a shambling mound. Again, they can be solved by running into a random encounter. Trolls are one of the main problems in this adventure and could be encountered already in the first part of the AP.
Once the bandit lord is defeated in the first part, bandit activity in the area is reduced and the encounter tables no longer include bandits. They also don't include mites, since the assumption is that those were also defeated in the first part.[/sblock]
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