Random encounters are typically used whenever the party is traveling or camping, away from inhabited cities or villages. The system does not include deliberate efforts to encounter certain characters or creatures, such as hunting or tracking; random encounters may occur in addition to these activities. It also does not replace creatures that would be found more reliably in a specific location, such as a wyvern in its lair or techs guarding a ruin.

    The later sub-chapters provide unique content for many locations, but all have certain processes in common:

    If the party is traveling together, the same chance roll applies to everyone; they face the encounter together if one occurs. If the party is locally split (such as some scouts walking medium range ahead of the main group), the leading characters typically encounter the creatures first, or you may randomly choose the closest character. If the party is more than a couple zones apart (travel range), you can make a chance roll for each group.

    If the chance roll interval covers a time when the party is traveling through regions with different chance level or selection modifiers, you can use the average of those numbers between the regions.Random Encounters & Stealth    For most random encounters, it's presumed that both party and creatures are using Medium Stealth, with both in the same environment (see Combat Stealth). If either is being unusually obvious, this may alter the range at which the creatures are first seen. Resting also requires characters to revert to Low Stealth, unless a party member can camouflage a campsite using Campcraft (Nature).

    If enhanced means of vision are available, the party might see the creatures first, and gain the option to avoid them. Very large or flying creatures will almost always be seen first, as they cannot use Medium Stealth; creatures with soaring flight typically have a 75% chance of being encountered in flight, while other flying creatures will generally be on the ground. The party will always be seen first if they are in a vehicle; vehicles can typically outspeed any creatures from random encounters, but techs may have anti-vehicle weapons to prepare an ambush, or the terrain might be slowing the vehicle.

    High Stealth is usually not used by the party while traveling, as it greatly slows their progress. However, if you wish to use random encounter rules during a greater attempt at stealth (for example, a party sneaking through the notoriously dangerous Alacrian city strata), you may use the infiltration rules. If the chance roll calls for a random encounter, have the party make infiltration stealth rolls, using the chart for those rolls to determine if they are seen. As mentioned in the infiltration rules, this slows the party's progress to 20% of normal.
Selection Rolls

    Selection rolls are made using a d20, with the result compared to a list for the current region to determine exactly what creatures are encountered. The list typically goes much higher than 20, as different sub-regions add various numbers to the d20 result, to reflect areas with more dangerous creatures or differing environments. Often, the result line includes more dice rolls, such as "2d6 specters," to further randomize the exact number of creatures encountered. Some have rolls like "d4-2 wraiths," potentially resulting in 0 creatures of a certain type, for further variety in groups.

    Some result lines call for "commoners" or "adventurers," without an exact number. For these results, improvise a number and type of NPCs reasonably appropriate for the current region. For example, commoners in the woods might be hunters or loggers, while commoners on a major road might be a trade caravan or military column. Make the encounter sufficiently "interesting" to justify why you are mentioning it - for example, it's presumed that the party passes many commoners on a major road without mention, so perhaps this caravan has an uncommon type of item for sale or an intriguing rumor to share.

    For adventurers, you should portray a reasonable adventuring party, generally between 3 and 8 members (2+d6 is a good roll if you'd like a random size). Since adventurers are highly varied and not listed in Common NPCs, it's recommended that you keep a few pre-made adventurers handy, so you don't have to pause to create them when such an encounter is rolled. Remember that only half of adventurers exceed an XP Net Worth of 60, with just short of 10% making it to the 300-600 XP range; characters of higher XP are exceedingly rare to happen across while traveling, and should be handled outside the random encounter system.

    Some results (often bandit gangs) also describe a mix of Common NPCs and adventurers, in which case you will only have to create a smaller amount of unique characters. Often, such bandit leaders are not truly adventurers in-character, but have similar skills (or may have "retired" into banditry). Try to avoid the extremes of artificially targeting certain PCs or "pulling punches" - for example, don't deliberately include or exclude Sentinel arcanists based on the party having a lot of energy weapons. Rolling for random Studies and Backgrounds is a good idea, or rolling for a random selection of the adventurer sheets you've prepared. Remember that characters deliberately forming teams to specifically counter the PCs should be handled outside the random encounter system; random encounters represent the people and creatures common in a realm, not plot-prominent antagonists.

    In addition to randomly resolving what creatures are encountered, randomly choosing non-sentients' demeanor towards the party is also a good idea for immersion and variety. Regardless of which region they're encountered in, you can use the results below for the reaction rolls of each non-sentient type.

    All reaction rolls are made with d12s. A result of Ferocious means that the creatures attack immediately, without even sizing up the party, and pursue any who retreat; this may be due to instinctually violent animals, or to old total-war doctrines or network failures for techs. A result of Hostile means that the creatures will attack unless they seem outmatched by the party, but will only pursue those who retreat if they far outmatch them; this may represent hungry or protective animals, or to techs with leftover program restraints. Aggressive means that the creatures posture threateningly, but will only start a fight if they seem to outmatch the party, and will not pursue them if they leave; this may represent territorial or defensive creatures. Disinterested means that the creatures will only fight if provoked; they might leave the area if merely approached, especially if the party seems to outmatch them. Skittish means that the creatures will flee if approached or even attacked, and will only fight if they can't seem to escape.

    "Outmatching" here is based on the creatures' perception, which may or may not be accurate; creatures of at least 3 bINT will surmise adventurer capabilities nearly as well as sentients, while less-intelligent ones will largely base it on numbers and sizes. Note that all results other than Ferocious and outmatching Hostile include some opportunity for the party to flee instead of fighting the creatures.

    If the creatures are animals and the only character(s) encountering them are under the effects of Sylvan elixirs, the reaction is automatically Disinterested.

    Encounters with sentients should not use reaction rolls; they should react based on the party's renown and reputation, their own motivations, and any social actions the party deploys. Remember that bandits prioritize material gain over murder or ideology; they should almost always threaten and extort the party before resorting to violence. If the party looks too dangerous, they may not reveal their banditry at all.

    Reaction rolls also do not cover non-sentients in specific contexts other than random encounters (for example, techs guarding outpost ruins or city strata facilities will always function as Ferocious).

    After randomly determining the creatures' reaction to the party, you can also randomly resolve when (if ever) they retreat if they begin to lose a fight. Whenever a random encounter results in combat, you can make a d12 retreat roll at each of the following points in the combat:

    Each of these three points may happen out of order or simultaneously, but no more than once per combat. Solitary creatures will of course only have one chance to roll (when injured). At each of these three points, roll the d12 and consult the results below; if it is not the first roll, it takes effect only if it lower than the previous result(s). A result of fight means that the creatures continue attacking. A result of Withdraw means that the creatures flee as a group, but may continue to make ranged attacks as they leave, assist each other, or fight if surrounded. Rout means that they flee in a disorganized fashion, attempting attacks only if completely immobilized, and no more rolls are required.

Retreat Roll Results by Creature Type     Docile animals: 1-3=Rout, 4-11=Withdraw, 12=Fight
    Dangerous animals: 1-4=Rout, 5-9=Withdraw, 10-12=Fight
    Fiends: 1-3=Rout, 4=Withdraw, 5-12=Fight
    Dracomorphs: 1-3=Rout, 4-8=Withdraw, 9-12=Fight
    Techs (unbound, any type): 1-5=Withdraw, 6-12=Fight

    As with reaction rolls, sentients should make reasonable choices based on their own motivations and situation. If you can't decide what they'd do, though, feel free to use retreat rolls for sentients. They will of course always flee if forced to do so by trauma/terror rules.