"There is an entrance to a disused mine here"
Tables for Combat Terrain and Minor Treasures and Encounter Complications for Hill Encounters. Result is from Hill Encounter Complications.
Enhancements by terrain - arctic | coastal | desert | forest | grassland | hill | mountain | swamp | underdark | underwater | urban
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Hill Encounter Enhancements
What makes this hill encounter different?
There might be a stack of precariously balanced rocks or a muddy slope. A creature might have hourglasses marked with dwarven runes or a potion of hill giant strength with them. There might be a cave with a portal to another realm or hill giant tracks less than an hour old.
There is a 5e Hill random encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Hill Encounters.
Hill Encounter Tables - creatures | locations | non-combat | enhancements
Hill Combat Terrain
1d8+1d12 | Hill Combat Terrain |
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2 | An unstable mine entrance |
3 | The ruins of a farmstead or a deep crack in the ground |
4 | A large rock ready to roll down a slope |
5 | A cave entrance sheltered by a hedge or a rope bridge over a chasm |
6 | Steps leading to a belltower |
7 | A barn with arrows sticking out of one side or a line of trees |
8 | A watchtower with a ready to light beacon |
9 | A set of steps leading to a shallow cave or a pool with steep sides |
10 | A muddy slope (difficult terrain) |
11 | A beast pen holding donkeys or a steep and narrow trail |
12 | A sheltered wooden shack |
13 | A wooden (or stone) bench or a wall topped with metal spikes |
14 | A stack of precariously balanced rocks |
15 | Top of a cliff or an overturned wagon |
16 | A deep pond with shiny stones at the bottom |
17 | Bottom of a cliff with plentiful handholds or stepping stones over a stream |
18 | A wide well with a rope and bucket |
19 | A mine cart and tracks |
20 | A hidden cache (Perception check to spot if near) with an elemental gem - earth (or roll on Minor Hill Treasures) |
Hill Minor Treasures
1d20 | Hill Minor Treasures |
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2 | A clockwork mule the size of a cat. Moves slowly for 1 minute with 10 minutes of working a charging mechanism. Worth 1250 gp |
3 | Potion of Superior Healing or Potion of Gaseous Form |
4 | 2d6 casks of a renowned local cider. Worth 50 gp each |
5 | Potion of Animal Friendship or Potion of Heroism |
6 | A set of finely made smith's tools, marked with the rune of a legendary gnome. Worth 250 gp |
7 | Elemental Gem (earth) |
8 | 1d6 vials of acid |
9 | Potion of Hill Giant Strength or Potion of Growth |
10 | Artisan's tools (brewer's supplies, mason's tools or jeweler's tools) |
11 | 1d4 Potions of Healing or 1d4 Potions of Climbing |
12 | 1d6 tiger eyes (or banded agates) worth 10 gp each. |
13 | Spell Scroll of meld into stone (or revivify) |
14 | Alchemist's supplies or tinker's tools |
15 | Elixir of Health or Quaal's Feather Token - Tree |
16 | 2d6 hourglasses, each bearing a Dwarven rune |
17 | Scroll of Protection - Beasts (or Elementals) |
18 | An ornate shepherd's crook inlaid with jade and jet. Worth 750 gp |
19 | Spell Scroll of wall of stone (or earthquake) |
20 | 1d3 diamonds in a pouch bearing writing in Terran. Worth 500 gp each |
Hill Encounter Complications
1d8+1d12 | Hill Encounter Complications |
---|---|
2 | There is a hallucinatory terrain (or Mordenkainen's magical mansion) here |
3 | There are scouts (or roll on Hill Humanoids) here (or nearby) as allies (or servants / mercenaries) |
4 | There is a hidden item (or cache) here. A potion of hill giant strength or roll on Minor Hill Treasures |
5 | There are steps leading to a belltower or roll on Hill Combat Terrain |
6 | There is a second group of creatures nearby (roll again on the appropriate encounter table) |
7 | There is a stack of precariously balanced rocks or roll on Hill Combat Terrain |
8 | There are giant weasels here (or nearby) as pets (or guards). For alternatives roll on Hill Beasts |
9 | There is a beast pen holding donkeys or roll on Hill Combat Terrain |
10 | There is a prisoner in the encounter or a lone traveler nearby. Roll on Quick Hill NPCs |
11 | A group of dwarf (or human) guards (or veterans) is approaching. One or more are mounted on mules. |
12 | There are recent tracks of giants (or roll on an appropriate encounter table) in the area |
13 | There is a mudslide (or rockslide); or roll on Hill Hazards and Obstacles |
14 | There is an entrance to a disused mine here (or visible nearby). |
15 | Hail (or snow) is falling or roll on Hill Hazards & Obstacles |
16 | Nearby is a group of hill giants (or pick from Hill Encounters Level 11+) those encountered try not to disturb. |
17 | The are is protected by a forbiddance (or hallow); or roll on Hill Hazards and Obstacles |
18 | The creatures are carrying a magic item (or it is hidden nearby). Roll on Magic Items - Hill |
19 | There is a group of adventurers of similar (or lower) level to the party in the area. They have a connection to the encounter. |
20 | There is a cave with a portal to the Elemental Plane of Earth (or acts as a Shadowfell crossing). |
More Encounters
There is a 5e Hill random encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Hill Encounters.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.