"A few tribal warriors invite characters to join in their fishing contest."
Tables for Non-Combat Encounters, Quick NPCs and Hazards & Obstacles for arctic. Result is from Arctic Non-Combat Encounters.
Non-combat by terrain - arctic | coastal | desert | forest | grassland | hill | mountain | swamp | underdark | underwater | urban
[Photo by Chris Yang on Unsplash]
Arctic Non-Combat, NPCs & Hazards
Combat isn't the only option in the arctic. A sociable yeti might show off its collection of ivory or a half-ogre might pay gold to help capture reindeer. Meet NPCs from a dwarf ski champion to a mage searching for creatures who worship fireballs. Deal with avalanches or avoid mammoth stampedes, crevasses and plunging into icy pools.
There is a 5e arctic random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And a separate tool for encounter locations including arctic.
There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Arctic Encounters.
Arctic Encounter Tables - creatures | locations | non-combat | complications
Arctic Non-Combat Encounters
| 1d8+1d12 | Arctic Non-Combat Encounters |
|---|---|
| 2 | A beholder is trying to carve it's name into the surrounding ice using a disintegration ray. It needs help spelling it's name in Common. |
| 3 | A revenant (Speed 15 ft.) is hindered by cold and asks help finding vengeance against a white dragon. |
| 4 | A guardian naga (History +7) wants news and engaging conversation. |
| 5 | A poltergeist is bound to a pool. Any who pass hear the same riddle. |
| 6 | A lonely young white dragon asks many questions about other dragons they have met and of the other colors of dragons. |
| 7 | A cambion mercenary is looking for spirits or fiends of winter to work for. Escapes with plane shift if threatened. |
| 8 | A ghost can't find rest until a song is played on its broken lute. |
| 9 | A friendly umber hulk (speaks Common) is digging tunnels through rock and ice. It hopes to connect several local landmarks. |
| 10 | A miserable starving owlbear with white fur is chained to a rock. Will be loyal to any who feed it and bears an Orcish brand. |
| 11 | A sociable yeti speaks Giant, sharing its a collection of carved ivory. |
| 12 | A few tribal warriors invite characters to join in their fishing contest. |
| 13 | A grim dwarf berserker has sworn to die fighting an arctic monster. Wants someone to witness their death and inform their family. |
| 14 | Several gnome bandits seek help to salvage their crashed airship. |
| 15 | An awakened wolf (speaks Common) requests help hunting down large game. It has adopted several hungry animals it wants to feed. |
| 16 | A group of nobles in warm clothing look out of place. They are led by a mage who is giving them a tour of the area's landmarks. |
| 17 | An outcast salamander looks for other fire creatures. Has sworn an oath to stay in cold lands until it has forged a magical weapon. |
| 18 | A large half-ogre offers some gold to help capture reindeer to pull their sleigh |
| 19 | A hairless wererat is trying to lift a curse. They have memories that belong to someone else of a citadel of bone and ice. |
| 20 | A frost giant offers to share eggs of a remorhaz nest it is looking for. |
Arctic Quick NPCs
| 1d4+1d6 | Arctic Quick NPCs |
|---|---|
| 2 | Hadarai is a flamboyant lamia with a bright red hat. They stole an item from a desert god and are hiding in cold lands to escape their wrath. |
| 3 | Miotri is a good-looking gladiator (Survival +3) with a glowing spear. They capture arctic creatures to be domesticated or put on display. |
| 4 | Dee Greenleaf is a halfling commoner with several ivory rings. They are a renowned carver of ivory and are looking for commissions. |
| 5 | Sariel is a tribal warrior (Animal Handling +3) with missing fingers. They fuss over all animals and are training two young axebeaks. |
| 6 | Hennet is a slender half-orc thug with nature-themed jewelry. outlaw hiding out. wanted currently trying to predict the weather. |
| 7 | Brottor is a mumbling dwarf scout on skis. They are known locally for their skiing feats and are currently training for a long expedition. |
| 8 | Mord is a scarred bugbear chief (Survival +4) with a painted mask and a dire wolf companion. They serve as a ranger for local settlements. |
| 9 | Scratch is a tall tiefling were-tiger with long fingers. They hate the cold but are here working for a powerful faction. |
| 10 | Marcon is a stern mage with oily hair. They are a hardened drinker and are currently seaching for creatures said to worship fireballs. |
Arctic Hazards and Obstacles
| 1d8+1d12 | Arctic Hazards and Obstacles |
|---|---|
| 2 | An earthquake causing crevasses to open, avalanches and damage to structures |
| 3 | An area of wild magic (half of spells cast in area trigger a Wild Surge - as wild magic sorcerer) |
| 4 | Vivid colored lights fill the sky |
| 5 | An avalanche near or by the PCs |
| 6 | Ice over a chasm (or lake) warded with an explosive runes spell |
| 7 | A stampede of reindeer (or mammoths) |
| 8 | Snow blizzard and 50% chance of a creature encounter (roll on appropriate encounter table) a song is played on its broken lute. |
| 9 | Tracks leading through an area of thin ice (Thin Ice - DMG pg 110) |
| 10 | A heavy (or freezing) mist descends around the group |
| 11 | Snow (heavy precipitation, DMG pg 110) |
| 12 | Slippery area leading down cliff or slope (Slippery Ice - DMG pg 110) |
| 13 | Shrieking winds (Strong Wind - DMG pg 110) |
| 14 | Covered simple pit (DMG pg 122) |
| 15 | Signs of something dangerous. Recent tracks or other marks of... (roll or choose from Arctic Encounters Levels 11+) |
| 16 | An old cairn (or burial mound or shrine) that can cause a curse (as bestow curse) |
| 17 | Crevasse opens up near or under the group |
| 18 | A cursed shrine surrounded by desecrated ground (DMG pg 110). Lingering attracts a wraith (or roll on Arctic Spirits) |
| 19 | Thunder and lightning |
| 20 | An old cairn (or burial mound or shrine) that can cause a geas |
More Encounters and Locations
There is a 5e arctic random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And a separate tool for encounter locations including arctic.
There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Arctic Encounters.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.
