ToME WikiLuck: Add random encounters to the worldmap. Like ambushes, but friendly (or neutral) - caravans with shopkeepers, traveling merchants, mini-quests, and so on. They're randomly placed when the game first starts, but are tied to terrain, so you have an incentive to explore areas and climb mountains etc. on the map. For example, something like the Troll Quest really would be more of a random encounter in the hills somewhere in the book, but we need not trash the current quests. Anyway, I think it would add an extra bit of fun to overland travel.
(Also, whoever wrote this, please put your ideas on a sub-page, rather on the main IdeaArchive page. Thanks! - RavenRed)
Ntb: I think that another terren type would be needed for this idea: path (or road). In all Tolkien books there were well established pathes between cities. The chance to meet someone on a path from bree to gondor is much bigger than finding someone in the middle of a forest.
LordEstraven: Wow, this is a great idea. It could really add a lot of spice to the game, especially if conversation were implemented.
(I can almost sense ToME becoming less like Angband and more like Exile with ASCII graphics...)