Quick Prep generators
Compare the eight Quick Prep generators and see which results can be promoted into permanent campaign records.
Common options
The generator interface is deliberately minimal. Every generator gives you the same small set of controls - there are no per-generator type, scope, rarity, or demeanor pickers, and no separate guidance/prompt box:
- Tone dropdown - sets the style (always shown)
- Difficulty dropdown - shown only for Quick Encounter and Session Outline
- Use Campaign Context toggle - under More options
The full controls below (More options and Use Campaign Context, plus the Difficulty dropdown where it applies) live on the Quick Prep page. The floating Session Companion -> Quick Generators is a compact surface that shows only a Tone dropdown and Generate - open the Quick Prep page when you need the full controls.
To steer a generator toward something specific, set the tone and let campaign context do the rest, then edit the result.
Tone presets
| Preset | Style | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Fantasy | Grim, serious, morally grey | Villains, horror, difficult choices |
| Heroic | Brave, optimistic, larger than life | Allies, mentors, classic adventure |
| Comedic | Light, funny, absurd | Comic relief, humorous campaigns |
| Mysterious | Enigmatic, secretive, uncertain | Intrigue, investigation, the unknown |
| Epic | Grand scale, legendary, sweeping | Climactic moments, world events |
| Gritty | Realistic, harsh, down to earth | Low fantasy, survival, consequences |
| Whimsical | Playful, magical, fantastical | Fey encounters, lighthearted magic |
Campaign context
Open More options and toggle Use Campaign Context (on by default). When enabled, the generator considers your existing campaign content:
- References your NPCs, locations, and factions by name
- Maintains consistency with established tone and themes
- Suggests connections to existing story threads
Keep this on. It’s the difference between generic fantasy output and content that fits your world.
NPC now!
Purpose: Generate a complete NPC instantly - with or without combat stats.
What NPC now! creates
- Name and role
- Personality traits and behavior
- Voice and mannerisms (how to roleplay them)
- Goals and motivations
- Physical appearance
- Combat stats where appropriate
NPC now! options
Tone dropdown plus the Use Campaign Context toggle. (No difficulty for this generator.)
When to use NPC now!
- Players approach an NPC you didn’t prepare
- You need a villain lieutenant on the spot
- Combat breaks out and you need stat blocks
- You want to populate a location with interesting characters
Can promote to: NPC
Quick encounter
Purpose: Generate a complete encounter setup - combat or social.
What quick encounter creates
- Encounter description and setup
- Involved creatures or NPCs
- Environmental factors (terrain, hazards, conditions)
- Suggested difficulty and challenge elements
- Possible rewards
- Resolution options for social scenes
Quick encounter options
This is one of the two generators with a Difficulty dropdown (Trivial, Easy, Medium, Hard, Deadly), alongside the Tone dropdown and Use Campaign Context toggle. Set the tone toward the kind of encounter you want - Dark Fantasy and Gritty lean combative, Mysterious leans investigative - and edit the result to fit.
When to use quick encounter
- You need something for players to do right now
- Filling gaps in your session prep
- Random encounter on the road
- Players picked a fight you didn’t expect
Can promote to: encounter
Location generator
Purpose: Generate a place with atmosphere and sensory details.
What location generator creates
- Location name and type
- Atmosphere and mood description
- Sensory details:
- Sights - What players see when they arrive
- Sounds - What they hear
- Smells - What they smell
- Notable features (things to interact with)
- Dangers or hazards
- Campaign Marker seeds (optional story connections)
Location generator options
Tone dropdown plus the Use Campaign Context toggle. (No difficulty for this generator.)
Reading sensory details aloud
The sensory details are designed to be read aloud when the party enters:
“You push open the tavern door. The air hits you first - wood smoke, cheap ale, and something that might be fish stew. The room is dim, lit by guttering candles and a low fire. Sailors crowd the tables, their voices a low rumble punctuated by the occasional bark of laughter. Above the bar, a massive whale harpoon hangs from the rafters, its barbs still dark with old stains.”
This instantly grounds players in the space.
When to use location generator
- Players explore somewhere you didn’t prepare
- You need a setting for an encounter
- Building out your world during prep
- The party decided that throwaway tavern is now their home base
Can promote to: location
Campaign Marker
Purpose: Generate a story starter with stakes and urgency.
What Campaign Marker creates
- Marker name and description
- The core hook - what’s at stake and why it’s pressing
- Stakes - what happens if players ignore it
- A sense of urgency
- Related NPCs or factions (with campaign context)
- Possible complications and entry points
Campaign Marker options
Tone dropdown plus the Use Campaign Context toggle. (No difficulty for this generator.)
When to use Campaign Marker
- Players need direction or motivation
- Seeding future story threads during prep
- Answering “what happens next?” when a plot concludes
- Giving players choices about what to pursue
Can promote to: Campaign Marker
Treasure/loot
Purpose: Generate items with properties, rarity, and lore.
What treasure/loot creates
- Item name and description
- Category (weapon, armor, wondrous item, etc.)
- Rarity (common through legendary)
- Magical or mundane properties
- Value estimate in gold pieces
- Lore or history (where it came from, who made it)
- Attunement requirements (if magical)
Treasure/loot options
Tone dropdown plus the Use Campaign Context toggle. (No difficulty for this generator.) The generated item includes its own rarity; the guide below helps you judge whether the result fits the moment.
Rarity guidelines
| Rarity | Appropriate For |
|---|---|
| Common | Everyday finds, minor rewards |
| Uncommon | Standard dungeon loot, quest rewards |
| Rare | Significant finds, mid-campaign rewards |
| Very Rare | Major treasures, important story items |
| Legendary | Campaign-defining items, end-game rewards |
When to use treasure/loot
- Stocking treasure hoards you forgot to prepare
- Quest rewards
- Shop inventory when players go shopping
- Interesting finds during exploration
Can promote to: item
Random event
Purpose: Generate an unexpected occurrence to shake things up.
What random event creates
- Event description
- Immediate consequences
- Possible player responses
- Long-term implications
- Hooks for follow-up
Random event options
Tone dropdown plus the Use Campaign Context toggle. (No difficulty for this generator.)
When to use random event
- The session is dragging and needs energy
- You want to add complications to a plan
- Creating a sense that the world moves without the party
- Breaking up travel or downtime
Random event cannot be promoted
Random events are designed for immediate use. If an event becomes significant, create the relevant Creations manually.
Session outline
Purpose: Generate a complete session package with structure.
What session outline creates
- Session overview and theme
- Opening scene (how to start)
- Key encounters (2-3 depending on length)
- Supporting NPCs for the session
- Relevant locations
- Possible endings
- Fallback plans (if players go off-script)
Session outline options
This is the second generator with a Difficulty dropdown (Trivial through Deadly), alongside the Tone dropdown and Use Campaign Context toggle.
When to use session outline
- You need to prep an entire session fast
- Running a one-shot with minimal prep
- Looking for structure and inspiration
- Building a session around a specific theme
Promotes as a batch
A Session Outline doesn’t promote to a single Creation. Instead it batch-promotes - generating the NPCs, encounters, locations, and Campaign Markers from the outline as separate Creations in one step, so the whole package lands in your library together.
Dialogue starter
Purpose: Generate opening lines and conversation directions for NPCs.
What dialogue starter creates
- Opening line or greeting
- Personality hints expressed through speech
- Potential conversation topics
- Things the NPC might ask the party
- Information the NPC might share
- Speech patterns and verbal quirks
Dialogue starter options
Tone dropdown plus the Use Campaign Context toggle. (No difficulty for this generator.) Steer the voice with tone - Comedic for a blustering merchant, Mysterious for a guarded informant.
When to use dialogue starter
- You need to voice an NPC on the spot
- Starting a conversation and drawing a blank
- Getting into character for an important NPC
- Overcoming “what does this NPC say?” moments
Dialogue starter cannot be promoted
Dialogue is ephemeral by nature. Copy useful lines to an NPC’s notes if you want to remember them.
Generator combinations
Chain generators for complete scenes:
The tavern scene
- Location Generator - The tavern itself
- NPC NOW! - The bartender
- NPC NOW! - An interesting patron
- Campaign Marker - Something to overhear or discover
The ambush
- Location Generator - The ambush site
- Quick Encounter - The ambush itself
- NPC NOW! - The ambush leader
- Treasure/Loot - What they’re carrying
The investigation
- Location Generator - The crime scene
- NPC NOW! - A witness
- Campaign Marker - What actually happened
- Random Event - A complication mid-investigation
Tips for all generators
Lead with tone Tone is your main steering wheel here. Villains can use Dark Fantasy even in a Heroic campaign.
Keep campaign context on It transforms output from generic to relevant.
Generate multiples If one result doesn’t click, generate again. It’s fast.
Edit rather than perfect A decent result you tweak is better than burning generations chasing perfect.
Name it in the promote dialog When you promote a Creation, the compact promotion dialog lets you set the creation name and Confirm - open the promoted Creation afterward to flesh out the rest.
Related
- Quick Prep overview - How Quick Prep works
- AI generation - On-demand content for Creation fields
- AI best practices - Writing better prompts