Fantasy Encounters, Hazards & NPCs for Forest RPG Adventures

"A few goblins are riding giant spiders, carrying a bound beast. They are taking tribute to a gigantic spider."

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

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Fantasy Forest Encounters

Forest encounters might be forest fey celebrating in raucous fashion, a distressed tree spirit or a patrol from nearby civilisation. There might be a stampeded of herd beasts or an enchanted mist to get lost in.

A place of dim light beneath the boughs of ancient woodland, broken by glades and clearings where life thrives. A place alluring elves, outlaws, beast friends and haggard hunters.

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

10 Forest Encounter Prompts

1d10	10 Forest Encounter Prompts
1	A ranger with two wolf companions surveys the party warily. They think one of the group looks like an outlaw they are tracking.
2	Pipe music plays from a group of fey (or nobles) celebrate. They are dancing and drinking, raucous as they wait for a special guest.
3	A patrol of warriors from the nearest large settlement rests here, eating rations. They are checking on a remote outpost (or temple).
4	A few goblins are riding giant spiders, carrying a bound beast (or humanoid). They are taking tribute to a gigantic spider.
5	A winged bear (or horse) with many scars is fearful of strangers. They have a basic telepathy, showing strange ruins it escaped from.
6	A procession of woodland priests and animals carries candles, heading towards a holy place within the forest for a ritual.
7	A group of muscular hunters greets the group. They travel with a friendly boar, treating it like royalty. All of the hunters are wereboars.
8	Several shimmering hounds run ahead of mounted elves on a hunt.
9	A distraught (or deceptive) tree spirit warns the group of a great evil approaching. They ask them to awake a power at an ancient grove.
10	A forest giant has a beard of ivy and plants growing from their body. They are searching for a large barrel they left in a mushroom circle.

Forest Hazards and Distractions

1d10	There is...
1	a unnerving silence or a dead body infected with a magical disease
2	something out of place here... d10 (1-2. a bright red door 3. a glass tower 4. a stack of books 5. a tree covered in shells 6. a brick wall 7. several gnome statues 8. an illusory dragon 9. a large cactus 10. a sign advertising a tavern)
3	a stampede of herd beasts or relentless rain that can cause floods
4	a breeze whispering a message asking for aid or a falling net
5	there is the strong smell of ... d10 (1-2. a dead body 3. fire 4. sweet smoke 5. foul magic 6. fish 7. fungal spores 8. bears 9. enchanted flowers 10. something cooking)
6	a pit covered in hides and leaves or a swarm of glowing insects
7	an illusion concealing a cave mouth (or a small settlement)
8	There are nearby sounds of a (or an)... d10 (1-2. hunt 3. tree being felled 4. waterfall 5. argument 6. flute 7. swarm of angry insects 8. bell 9. flock of birds 10. eerie moaning)
9	an enchanted mist, easy to get lost in (or leading to another place)
10	a forest fire and smoke or several large animal traps

Quick Forest NPCs

1d10	Descriptor	Profession	Detail
1	elf or unpredictable	herbalist	playing an instrument (or game)
2	peacefiul or outraged	outlaw	with a pet squirrel (or snake)
3	goblin or alluring	hermit	using forest magic (or illusions)
4	wary or hallucinating	forester	trying to find a particular ruin
5	werewolf or questing	minstrel	felling (or hugging) a tree
6	haggard or wounded	berserker	sent by a spirit to find the group
7	faerie or filthy	beastmaster	with several wolves (or deer)
8	muscular or gnome	hunter	foraging for herbs or berries
9	lizardfolk or insightful	witch	with a glowing silver charm
10	lost or snakefolk	scout	who talks to animals (or trees)

More Encounters