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.
10 Hill Encounter Prompts
1d10 | 10 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
1d10 | There 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
1d10 | Descriptor | Profession | who... |
---|---|---|---|
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.
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