" A band of raiders are herding tired camels, approaching a ruined temple dotted with a few cacti..."
Simple encounter tables for ports and docks in any fantasy setting. Tables for Combined Desert Encounters, Desert Encounter Details and Desert Encounter Locations.
Fantasy Wilds - all | trinkets | coastal encs | cold encs | desert encs | forest encs | plains encs | swamp encs
[photo by Tijs van Leur on Unsplash]
Fantasy Desert Encounters
Deserts are home to nomads, predators and creatures who can survive in the harshest of conditions. Camel herders setting up tents by a waterhole, jackals stuck in mud near a monstrous skeletons and a pack of ghouls burying something in a box canyon.
A place of bandits, skeletons, sand and pilgrims, dust, cacti and giant ants
There is a fantasy desert encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Desert Encounters.
Desert Combined Encounters
These reference Desert tables for Encounter Prompts, Hazards and NPCs
| 1d10 | Desert Combined Encounters | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | patterns in the sand (or dirt) of several colours; or roll on Hazards | |
| 2 | an opportunistic (or aggressive)... d10 (1-2. pack of jackals 3. giant scorpion 4. snake 5. flock of crows 6. vulture 7. giant mantis 8. big cat 9. pack of hyenas 10. insect swarm) | |
| 3 | a desert guide full of jokes, who is waiting for a friend; or roll on NPCs | |
| 4 | several (or a pair of)... d10 (1-2. nomads 3. bandits 4. goblinoids 5. mounted guards 6. snake-kin 7. berserkers 8. camel herders 9. warriors 10. pilgrims) | |
| 5 | a family on a loaded cart, seeking a home; or roll on Enc. Descriptions | |
| 6 | a few (or many)... d10 (1-2. camels 3. giant ants 4. ogres 5. shape-changing jackals 6. mules 7. wild dogs 8. skeletons 9. giant lizards 10. fire snakes ) | |
| 7 | a large sinkhole which has swallowed many things or roll on Hazards | |
| 8 | a trickster (or vengeful) spirit, a(n)... d10 (1-2. djinn 3. ghost 4. ghoul 5. sand elemental 6. salamander 7. desert sprite 8. efreet 9. lamia 10. dust devil) | |
| 9 | a desperate thief with a mule, slowly dying of a curse; or roll on NPCs | |
| 10 | a potential (or signs of a) danger, a(n)... d10 (1-2. band of raiders 3. dune worm 4. sphinx 5. fire giant 6. golem 7. giant bird 8. leucrotta 9. pack of ghouls 10. desert dragon) |
Desert Encounter Details
Use 1d6 for beasts or non-sentient creatures.
| 1d10 | They are... (or one is...) |
|---|---|
| 1 | stalking (or being stalked by) something; or diseased |
| 2 | investigating something in the sand (or rocks), a(n)... d10 (1-2. corpse 3. message 4. barrel 5. weapon 6. sculpture 7. statue 8. snake 9. skeleton chained to a rock 10. flag) |
| 3 | dehydrated or guarding the local area |
| 4 | burying (or digging up) something; or cursed |
| 5 | stuck in mud (or sand); or mutilated in some way |
| 6 | sheltering from a dust storm (or other bad weather) |
| 7 | herding animals (or other beasts); or following a mirage |
| 8 | searching for ... d10 (1-2. water 3. a spellcaster 4. healing 5. herd animals 6. a loved one 7. a landmark 8. old ruins 9. a settlement 10. help) |
| 9 | setting up (or taking down) tents; or preparing an ambush |
| 10 | following a local guide or performing a ritual |
Desert Encounter Locations
| 1d10 | Area, a(n)... | Feature, a(n)... |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ruined tomb (or temple); or ravine | pile of rocks or wanted poster |
| 2 | box canyon or rocky outcrop | freshly dug (or muddy) hole |
| 3 | unstable cave (or mine) entrance | camel (or goat) corpse; or campfire |
| 4 | area of shifting dunes (or mud) | rock (or sand) sculpture; or statue |
| 5 | monstrous skeleton or salt flat | mound of slabs (or bones) |
| 6 | circle of tents (or spiked cacti) | waterhole or drop to jagged rocks |
| 7 | oasis with palm trees (or tents) | stone shrine or huge anthill |
| 8 | cliff with steps (or large nest) | covered (or poisoned) well |
| 9 | hut with a wall or muddy stream | few cacti or haze of thick dust |
| 10 | dusty (or old) road or watchtower | abandoned tent (or wagon); |
More Encounters
There is a fantasy desert encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Desert Encounters.
If you liked these there are Generators at Chaos Gen and a monthly random tools Newsletter. Or find us on the Rand Roll Discord or an instagram of Random Tables.
