Rumor tables have become a familiar adventure stand-by. But what are they for?

I recently listened to a discussion about putting false entries on rumor tables. (Sadly, I don’t remember the source). Is there fun in misleading the PCs? Or should rumor tables just be facts? Well, I guess that depends on why we’re making the table in the first place.

There’s a few holes I see a rumor table filling (lol). First, they give random NPCs something to talk about. It takes a little pressure off the GM from having to figure that out on the fly. We generally don’t just mention the weather on a rumor table, however, so there must be more.

Rumors can provide a lot of connective tissue for the adventure! They’re another part of the information distribution architecture that can be really handy. 

This plays well with my “every adventure is a mystery” theory. Mysteries are satisfying. In a good adventure, PCs are playing to figure out what is really going on. It isn’t gold or magic items that drive the player – it’s a feeling of WTF?

The important clues shouldn’t be on a rumor table. If it’s needed to move forward in the adventure, it shouldn’t be gate kept behind a random dice roll. You’re going to be real sad when that option doesn’t get rolled.

For secondary clues, however, it’s a perfect spot. Is there a second entrance to the dungeon? A clue as to what direction a hex is in? A bit of background lore that’s not essential for moving the game forward? Yes, all of that. Put it in.

This is on my mind because I recently made the rumor table for “All My Friends are Dead”. That’s the working title for my Snowflake dungeon. I went through the entire adventure and grabbed snippets to make rumors about. 

I could take almost every rumor and point to which hex/ dungeon room it’s referencing. Why is this important? It means all the rumors are actionable. 

So should there be false info on the table? First, if there is, it needs to be actionable. Players will fixate on a thing, true or not, and try to figure out what to do with it. If the GM took the time to mention it, it must be important, right?

Secondly, consider what it would feel like if the PCs followed that rumor. What are the consequences? Would they find something interesting that moved the game forward? Or would they just spend an hour and a half getting frustrated as it doesn’t pan out?

Ultimately, the answer to that question is “it depends.” If done right, sure. Put false rumors on the table. Just don’t make an accidental time suck everyone playing the game will regret.

Lore drops also fit well on a rumor table. Try and keep them pertinent, though. 

For instance, option #3 on the one I just made is this:


3. Centuries ago, there was a terrible series of plagues that swept the land. Many folks died. Riverbend Mills never really bounced back, but they’re the lucky ones – many villages just ceased to exist!

Why do we care? This rumor isn’t instantly actionable. The main villain of the dungeon is the demon lord of disease, however! This, with some other context provided in the adventure, might let the PCs know what to prepare for. 

Ultimately, each rumor should just have a purpose. Don’t make it an entry just to fill the table.

All that said, here’s the rumor table I created for “All My Friends are Dead”.