Fantasy Encounters, Hazards and NPCs for Hills
Fantasy Wilds Fantasy Hinterlands Fantasy Encounter Tables

Fantasy Encounters, Hazards and NPCs for Hills

Duncan Thomson
A cave spirit is possessing a shiny black rock. They are looking for a new cave, having left their old one when a big bear moved in.

Simple encounter tables for hills in any fantasy setting. Tables for Hill Encounter Prompts, Hill Hazards & Distractions and Hill Quick NPCs.

Fantasy Wilds - all | trinkets | coastal encs | cold encs | desert encs | forest encs | hill encs | jungle encs | mountain encs | plains encs | swamp encs

Fantasy Hinterlands - all | trinkets | farmland encs | hill encs | plains encs | road encs | tavern encs

[Photo by Jack Gibson on Unsplash]

Fantasy Hill Encounters

Hill encounters might be a giant carving something into a hillside, a rugged hunter playing sad music or wily goblin traders with things to sell. There might be a mudslide or a wrecked wagon on the side of a hill.

Rocky tors, inquisitive goats, clear springs, isolated farmsteads and old caves. Places of friendly vagabonds, heavy rain, echoing shouts, dwarf miners and hillside ruins.

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

Fantasy Hill Encounters on DriveThru RPG Fantasy Wilds Tables Bundle on DriveThru RPG

10 Hill Encounter Prompts

1d1010 Hill Encounter Prompts
1 A pair of wily goblins traders have mules with charms and furs to sell. Happy to barter for unusual trinkets or treasures group have.
2 An old farmer is trying to train a playful wolf cub, with little success
3 A cave spirit is possessing a shiny black rock. They are looking for a new cave, having left their old one when a big bear moved in.
4 A weathered priest rides a goat, leading a herd of several others.
5 A well-dressed scholar is angry with two burly locals they hired. They refuse to continue to a nearby ruin, talking of bad omens and spirits.
6 A giant is carving something into a hillside, copied from a clay tablet.
7 A braided dwarf scrap dealer is looking over a wrecked wagon. Tells group they can make a deal for any junk they have or find.
8 Miners inspect a hillside, which one saw otherworldly figures enter.
9 A long-haired artist does animal portraits, showing lots of affection to pets with group. Offers to do a painting that day for a special rate.
10 Two magpies work together, to steal shiniest trinket visible in group.

Hill Hazards and Distractions

1d10There is (or are)...
1 a mudslide (or rockslide) near the group or thunder and lightning
2 something on the side of the hill, a(n)...
d10 (1-2. flickering light 3. creature crushed by a rock 4. carved rune
5. monster corpse (or skeleton) 6. chalk figure 7. wrecked wagon
8. roiling mist 9. glowing cave entrance 10. provocative illusion)
3 a burning beacon or a mist with whispering spirits
4 heavy rain and strong winds or a large rock ready to roll down a slope
5 the strong smell of ...
d10 (1-2.cooking meat 3. goats 4. fresh bread 5. fruit
6. rain 7. burning manure 8. rotting waste 9. cheese 10. honey)
6 a flooded river crossing or earth tremors that make standing hard
7 unusually hot (or cold) weather; or cave that leads to another realm
8 sounds of ...
d10 (1-2. celebration 3. echoing shouts 4. livestock 5. a giant creature
6. thunder 7. instruments 8. an argument 9. metal on metal 10. howls)
9 a stampede of herd animals or a sign warning of loose rocks
10 an old bridge (or mine entrance) ready to collapse or heavy sleet

Quick Hill NPCs

1d10DescriptorProfessionwho...
1 half-human or humble herder wears a fine fur cloak (or hat)
2 friendly or halfling outlaw talks about weather (or rocks)
3 beast-kin or jubilant labourer seeks a nearby ruin (or mine)
4 rugged or birdfolk miner has friends (or family) everywhere
5 goblinoid or youthful mystic is with a herd of pigs (or sheep)
6 proud or lycanthrope vagabond offers homemade pies (or drinks)
7 gnome or laughing hunter carries a spade (or dead pig)
8 elderly or faerie smith has a message (or gift) for group
9 dwarf or restless veteran has a pet hunting dog (or ferret)
10 serene or elf pedlar plays sad music (or a card game)

More Encounters

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

Fantasy Hill Encounters on DriveThru RPG Fantasy Wilds Tables Bundle on DriveThru RPG

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