Fantasy Encounters, Hazards and NPCs for Plains and Steppes
Fantasy Hinterlands Fantasy Wilds Fantasy Encounter Tables

Fantasy Encounters, Hazards and NPCs for Plains and Steppes

Duncan Thomson
A scarred warrior is adorning their warhorse in charms. They are preparing to spend a few days at a ruin as part of a spiritual journey.

Simple encounter tables for ports and docks in any fantasy setting. Tables for Plains Encounter Prompts, Plains Hazards & Distractions and Plains Quick NPCs.

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

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

[cover by Matt Phillips on Unsplash]

Fantasy Plains Encounters

Plains encounters could be steppes, savannah or grassland. Herders taking beasts to market, a bored ogre practicing with a bolt thrower or a family seeking a new beginning. There might be heavy mist, smell of horses or a spectacular view.

A place of long grasses, mesas, rivers and fords. Home to an entertainer practicing their pipes, an agitated merchant who tells horse jokes and an undead messenger who is making drawings. A place of reflection, rain, smoke, herds and travellers.

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

Fantasy Plains Encounters on DriveThru RPG Fantasy Hinterlands Tables Bundle on DriveThru RPG

10 Plains Encounter Prompts

1d1010 Plains Encounter Prompts
1 Bandits mounted on giant flightless birds demand any mounts or herd animals the party has. The mounts look hungry and ill-tempered.
2 An old gaunt lion watches with glowing eyes. It is possessed by a spirit
3 An ogre is practicing on targets using a huge crossbow. Until recently they worked for as a guard. Now they are jobless and getting bored.
4 A griffon (or other flyer) plunges down on a nearby animal. While it is feeding, its rider comes to ask about any news and local events.
5 A few herders have a herd of cattle, driving them to a famous market.
6 A generous giant mounted on an elephant (or dinosaur) carries sacks of seeds and huge vegetables to trade. Love talking about gardens.
7 A few ghostly hounds chase something, their baying getting louder.
8 A scarred warrior is adorning their warhorse in charms. They are preparing to spend a few days at a ruin as part of a spiritual journey.
9 A wary caravan of wagons and mules heads toward a big settlement. They need guards after last ones imprisoned for burning down an inn.
10 A family packed on a wagon seek a home after their farm burnt down.

Plains Hazards and Distractions

1d10There is (or are)...
1 patches of quicksand or strong gusting winds
2 a wooden (or large) sign warning of...
d10 (1-2. bandits 3. dangerous grass 4. dogs 5. a tree made of swords
6. mud 7. evil spirits 8. fires 9. unstable ground 10. sinkholes)
3 a stampede of herd beasts or a flash flood
4 heavy rain (or hail); or a simple pit camouflaged with foliage
5 there is the strong smell of ...
d10 (1-2. smoke 3. herd animals 4. rain 5. something dead
6. horses 7. manure 8. something foul 9. flowers 10. fish)
6 a heavy (or ghostly) mist or a large insect swarm approaching
7 a spectacular view or large amounts of dust waiting to be disturbed
8 sounds of ...
d10 (1-2. distressed beasts 3. music 4. angry birds 5. a loud humming
6. wailing 7. a party 8. a booming voice 9. roaring 10. ghostly howls)
9 several beasts (or corpses) infected with disease or brush fires
10 a nest of angry wasps or an approaching whirlwind

Quick Plains NPCs

1d10DescriptorProfessionwho...
1 expressive or beast-kin smith asks many prying questions
2 goblinoid or ambitious scout has a wary companion (or pet)
3 stylish or shapechanging mage has a message for a character
4 catfolk or veteran herder has a smoking pipe (or tome)
5 questioning or centaur messenger has a lizard (or horse) mount
6 lycanthrope or tired entertainer is playing pan pipes (or a lute)
7 agitated or undead scholar is making maps (or drawings)
8 half-human or hairless merchant has several goats (or pigs)
9 smiling or hyena-folk vagabond is on a pilgrimage (or quest)
10 halfling or lithe herbalist tells horse (or long) jokes

More Encounters

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

Fantasy Plains Encounters on DriveThru RPG Fantasy Hinterlands 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.