" A solitary bear is investigating a moored rowing boat. Nearby is a deserted riverside market and a basket of crayfish..."
Simple encounter tables for cemeteries and tombs in any fantasy setting. Tables for Combined River Encounters, River Encounter Details and River Encounter Locations.
Fantasy Hinterlands - all | trinkets | farmland encs | hill encs | plains encs | river 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 | river encs | swamp encs
[Photo by Sander Dechering]
Fantasy River Encounters
Rivers might be hot deltas, frozen mountain streams, flowing through pastured farmland or untouched wilds. There might be a jetty with boats, a basket of crayfish, mossy islet or line of stepping stones. Fishers repairing a boat, herons watching a canoe or a seal trying to catch fish.
It's also a place of smugglers, rafts, leeches, eels, swans, tributaries and muddy beaches.
There is a fantasy encounters generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as River Encounters.
River Combined Encounters
These reference River tables for Encounter Prompts, Hazards and NPCs
| 1d10 | River Combined Encounters |
|---|---|
| 1 | the floating body of someone familiar (or famous); or roll on Hazards |
| 2 | a solitary (or monstrous)... d10 (1-2. flock of ducks 3. bear 4. carnivorous fish 5. constrictor snake 6. giant beaver [or frog] 7. crocodile 8. seal 9. otter 10. giant bird) |
| 3 | a waving hunter with a dog and recent valuable catch or roll on NPCs |
| 4 | several (or a boat of)... d10 (1-2. smugglers 3. hunters 4. locals 5. river pirates (or nomads) 6. nonhumans 7. fishers 8. adventurers 9. lizardfolk 10. mercenaries) |
| 5 | two tired priests, offering gifts to the river or roll on Enc. Descriptions |
| 6 | a few (or many)... d10 (1-2. water buffalo 3. swans 4. river sprites 5. hippopotamuses 6. herons 7. catfish 8. warriors in canoes 9. ponies 10. giant frogs) |
| 7 | a thick fog, accompanied voices singing old songs or roll on Hazards |
| 8 | an aquatic creature, a(n)... d10 (1-2. giant crayfish 3. frog humanoid 4. giant stingray 5. river spirit 6. great sturgeon 7. nymph 8. bull shark 9. water blight 10. electric eel) |
| 9 | a lean thug, seeking passage upriver to avoid pursuers or roll on NPCs |
| 10 | a potential (or signs of a) danger, a(n)... d10 (1-2. dire gar 3. bird-monster 4. drowned ghost 5. boat of raiders 6. dryad 7. bridge troll 8. giant crab 9. bandit gang 10. river dragon) |
River Encounter Details
Use 1d6 for beasts or non-sentient creatures.
| d10 | They are... (or one is...) |
|---|---|
| 1 | making lots of noise or investigating a body |
| 2 | drinking from the water or curious about the group |
| 3 | trying to catch fish or close to death |
| 4 | investigating (or watching) a moored (or occupied) boat, a(n) ... d10 (1-2. barge 3. canoe 4. raft 5. ferry [or coracle] 6. fishing boat 7. ferry or [swanboat] 8. rowing boat 9. pleasure craft 10. longboat) |
| 5 | hiding from (or watching) a nearby threat; or covered in mud |
| 6 | in shallow water or more dangerous than they seem |
| 7 | gathering... d10 (1-2. reeds 3. fish 4. stones 5. water 6. information 7. insects 8. herbs 9. wood 10. leeches ) |
| 8 | carrying (or repairing) a boat or about to cross a ford |
| 9 | filling containers with water or dumping something in the water |
| 10 | currently... d10 (1-2. fishing 3. washing something 4. in the water 5. drying off 6. making a map 7. singing 9. performing a ritual 10. eating) |
River Encounter Locations
| 1d10 | Area, a(n)... | Feature, a(n)... |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | island with trees (or a boatyard) | freshwater spring or hut on stilts |
| 2 | stretch of rapids (or steep banks) | slipway or rope across the river |
| 3 | old wooden (or stone) bridge | basket of crayfish (or fine food) |
| 4 | jetty with boats or rice paddy | damaged (or overturned) boat |
| 5 | flooded field or boatyard | muddy sandbank or rope bridge |
| 6 | riverside tavern (or market) | patch of long reeds (or river plants) |
| 7 | mossy islet or large aqueduct | pile of firewood (or stinking fish) |
| 8 | watermill (or road) on the shore | line of stepping stones (or trees) |
| 9 | muddy (or pebble) beach; or lake | cave mouth or hammock in a tree |
| 10 | stretch of deep (or muddy) water | tributary or slippery walkway |
More Encounters
There is a fantasy encounters generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as River 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.
