"An intellect devourer is inhabiting the body of a deep gnome and claims to be the ambassador of a nearby settlement."
Tables for Non-Combat Encounters, Quick NPCs and Hazards & Obstacles for Underdark . Result is from Underdark Non-Combat Encounters.
Non-combat by terrain - arctic | coastal | desert | forest | grassland | hill | mountain | swamp | underdark | underwater | urban
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Underdark Non-Combat, NPCs & Hazards
Talking is also an option in the Underdark. A minotaur might want feedback on its newly created maze or an eyeless beholder might give predictions of the future. Meet NPCs from a deep gnome who can smell gems to an ogre druid who adores oozes. Deal with rockfalls or pit traps, fungal spores and flammable gas.
There is a 5e Underdark random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And a separate tool for encounter locations including Underdark.
There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Underdark Encounters.
Underdark Encounter Tables - creatures | locations | non-combat | complications
Underdark Non-Combat Encounters
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Non-Combat Encounters |
|---|---|
| 2 | A drider spellcaster merchant has maps (or potent fungi) for sale. Makes good offers for loot of characters and can trade in favors |
| 3 | An unhappy wereboar is lost and wounded from fights with local creatures. Talks about wild parties in the moonlight. |
| 4 | An eyeless beholder is chained to a cliff and used as an oracle by local tribes. Speaks several languages and talks of far off realms. |
| 5 | A doppelganger in goblin form wants to pick delicious mushrooms. They are surrounded by deadly fungi that emit poisonous spores. |
| 6 | A pair of otyughs look for a new home. Dark, toxic and waste-filled. |
| 7 | A stone giant has lost their affinity with stone. Trying to develop a new affinity with objects, experimenting with bones, metal and fur. |
| 8 | A sentient ochre jelly (Int 12, telepathy 60 ft.) communicates mostly in images. It proposes an alliance of mutual protection. |
| 9 | A few ragged duergar are starving and downcast. Will work for food. |
| 10 | An intellect devourer is inhabiting the body of a deep gnome and claims to be the ambassador of a nearby settlement. |
| 11 | A few myconid adults are cut off from their cave of enchanted fungi. Offer great rewards in return for helping them return there. |
| 12 | A friendly minotaur (speaks Undercommon) has spent years building a puzzle maze and wants someone to try it out and give feedback. |
| 13 | An awakened bat (speaks Undercommon) offers to guide group and scout for them. Wants to be a familiar and hear tales of the surface. |
| 14 | A distraught ettin has had one head drained by intellect devourer (Int 0) and asks for help. Collapses in tears if refused or attacked. |
| 15 | Several cautious lizardfolk escaped captivity from slavers and are trying to make sense of the Underdark. Considering living here. |
| 16 | A grick alpha with an ornate collar is heavily wounded and retreats from any light. Pet of nearby creature, who is grateful for its return. |
| 17 | Several deep gnome miners try to rescue an ore cart from a collapse. |
| 18 | A fire giant has a mobile forge and offers to make repairs or items. Will trade for metal and has a friendly sidekick who talks to party |
| 19 | A docile purple worm has a magical carrying box fused with it (space for six Medium sized creatures). It waits expectantly for group. |
| 20 | A strange shadow reforms when destroyed and slowly drains light instead of life. Is very confused and glows like a driftglobe. |
Underdark Quick NPCs
| 1d4+1d6 | Underdark Quick NPCs |
|---|---|
| 2 | Azaki is an outcast drow elite warrior who is practicing coin tricks. They are proud of coin collection and will work for new specimens. |
| 3 | Cressel is an old tiefling veteran with a style blending several cultures. They guard surface visitors and recognize one of the characters. |
| 4 | Sheris is a hermit mage (or diviner - VGtM) with a gemstone circlet. They experiment with fungi in arcane rituals and speak of many lands. |
| 5 | Duergath is a curious dwarf scout with a bat familiar. They make maps to add to their collection or trade away. Dream of owning an island. |
| 6 | Aym is a gaunt tribal warrior with unruly orange hair. They have escaped captivity twice and give advice on surviving the Underdark. |
| 7 | Riggles is a thickset deep gnome miner with a handcart. They have an acute sense of smell and use it to find gems, ore and lost items. |
| 8 | Xenia is a lucky half-ogre (or bard - VGtM) who speaks Giant, Common, Undercommon and five more languages. They are valued as a translator and have a knack for surviving dangerous situations. |
| 9 | Oloric is a missionary priest of light from the surface. They hope to convert creatures and carry many different sources of light. |
| 10 | Eri is a loud ogre (spellcasting of a druid) berating a pet yellow slime. They taste any unknown substances and love to talk about oozes. |
Underdark Hazards and Obstacles
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Hazards and Obstacles |
|---|---|
| 2 | An old shrine (or cairn) that can cause a geas (or bestow curse) |
| 3 | Area of dead magic (as antimagic field) caused by weird fungi |
| 4 | There is smoke from a fire or a few beasts are infected with disease |
| 5 | A hedge (or maze) of spiky fungi (treat as razorvine; DMG pg 110) |
| 6 | There is an area of sharp stones (treat as spike stones) |
| 7 | An area of fungal spores that cause scary visions (or madness) |
| 8 | An area of thick webs (DMG pg 105) or there are tremors causing falling rocks or stalactites) |
| 9 | Poisonous (or disease-carrying) spores cover (or float in) the area |
| 10 | There is risk of a rockfall (or collapsing roof) (DMG pg 110) |
| 11 | A patch of Brown (or Yellow) Mold (DMG pg 105) or there is glowing swarm of harmless insects in the area |
| 12 | Covered simple pit (DMG pg 122) or locking pit trap (DMG pg 122) |
| 13 | There are several shriekers among similar looking fungi |
| 14 | There is a strange mist (or it is very dusty) in the area. Treat as light or heavy obscurement. |
| 15 | Tracks lead to an area of quicksand (DMG pg 110) or Swarm of Rot Grubs (VGtM) infesting a corpse |
| 16 | A disturbance of many bats (or stampede of rothe) |
| 17 | There is a pocket of flammable gas or there are tar pits (as quicksand but flammable) |
| 18 | A rolling sphere trap (DMG pg 123) or sphere of annihilation (DMG pg 122) |
| 19 | An earthquake causing fissures, rockfalls and tunnel collapses. |
| 20 | There is a flash flood or a portal to one of the elemental planes |
More Encounter Tables
There is a 5e Underdark random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And a separate tool for encounter locations including Underdark.
There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Underdark Encounters.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.
