Fantasy Encounters, Hazards & NPCs for Coastal RPG Adventures
Fantasy Sea Coastal Fantasy Encounter Tables

Fantasy Encounters, Hazards & NPCs for Coastal RPG Adventures

Duncan Thomson
"Several armed locals are arguing with a group of sailors over salvage rights for a wrecked ship (or  underwater ruins) that they found."

Simple encounter tables for coastal terrain in any fantasy setting. Tables for Coastal Encounter Prompts, Coastal Hazards & Distractions and Quick Coastal NPCs.

Fantasy Sea - trinkets | coastal encs | port encs | underwater encs | all

[Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash]

Fantasy Coastal Encounters

Coastal encounters bring visions of rock pools, steep cliffs, pebble beaches and sea caves. Maybe encounters take place in a haunted lighthouse, recent shipwreck or sand beach covered in crabs.

A meeting place between the world of the water and land they are a place of travellers, watchful guardians and those who make their living from the sea.

There is a fantasy sea encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Coastal Encounters.

Fantasy Coastal Encounters on DriveThru RPG Fantasy Sea Tables Bundle on DriveThru RPG

10 Coastal Encounter Prompts

1d1010 Coastal Encounter Prompts
1 Mourners from a nearby village are sending off a burning boat with a dead warrior. They now need someone to avenge their death.
2 A grumbling cyclops or two-headed giant is preparing to take a herd of giant goats from their cave to some overgrown ruins.
3 Two lovers, one from land and one from sea are having an emotional discussion about how they can make a future together.
4 There is a huge (or demonic) hermit crab living in a wooden hut.
5 A group of cloaked figures are carrying crates and bottles into a cave. The nervous smugglers will shout an angry challenge at any intruders.
6 A merfolk (or sea elf) explorer has come to shore to perform deeds and see unusual places. They want to take tales back to their people.
7 Several armed locals are arguing with a group of sailors over salvage rights for a wrecked ship (or underwater ruins) that they found.
8 A tentacled priest in long robes leads human followers in a bloody ritual on the shore. They hope to summon a kraken (or it's servant).
9 An assorted choir of humans, sea creatures, lizardfolk and a talking seal are singing. They claim to be famous and preparing for a concert.
10 A brightly coloured sea serpent waits expectantly at the shoreline, watching two weathered humans carrying a net full of fish.

Coastal Hazards and Distractions

1d10There is...
1 heavy rain and strong winds or bright sigils with a message
2 something out of place here...
d10 (1-2. a horse-drawn carriage 3. someone in a wedding dress
4. several cows 5. an ornate throne 6. body of someone familiar
7. a catapult 8. a pavillion tent 9. a tree of ripe fruit 10. an iron tower)
3 is a rockpool that shows visions (or is a portal to a nearby cave)
4 a thick rope that runs out to sea or a cursed shrine with offerings
5 something washed up on shore, a...
d10 (1-2. sturdy barrel 3. dead serpent 4. diseased corpse 5. mapcase 6. chest 7. coffin 8. a message in bottle 9. whale 10. ship's nameplate)
6 whirlpools in the water caused by an elemental (or a trapped spirit)
7 a mass of crabs (or insects) swarming a body; or several tar pits
8 something coming from the sea,...
d10 (1-2. an incoming storm 3. a ghostly ship 4. an ominous mist
5. several boats 6. a barnacled giant 7. a chariot pulled by seahorses
8. a huge wave 9. a sea monster 10. a ship in trouble)
9 an alluring (or talented) voice singing from a cave (or the sea)
10 a mass of entangling seaweed or a collective of telepathic shells

Quick Coastal NPCs

1d10DescriptorProfessionDetail
1 travelling or muscular artist on a quest for a sea god
2 good-looking or triton pirate with a fishing net or pet bird
3 sea elf or tattooed oracle dancing in the water
4 eccentric or swearing envoy on an aquatic (or flying) mount
5 merfolk or bejeweled aquamancer in a stolen boat
6 shipwrecked or wary trader trying to find a particular ruin
7 lost or shapechanging boatmaker on a horse (or riding lizard)
8 cursed or crabfolk captain who is a rival of a character
9 lizardfolk or singing scout carrying a message (or child)
10 lucky or sahuagin scholar accompanied by a few sailors

More Encounters

There is a fantasy sea encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Coastal Encounters.

Fantasy Coastal Encounters on DriveThru RPG Fantasy Sea Tables Bundle on DriveThru RPG

If you liked these there are Fantasy Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.