A scholarly noble with a riding horse is collecting insects and plants a book they are writing.
Non-Combat Encounters using creatures from the D&D Monster Manual. For wilds and ruins.
Wilderness and Ruins
Non-Combat Encounters for wilds and ruins, from elves building a treehouse to a ghost offering a ruins tour.
Inspired by my D&D Encounter Generator and available on DM's Guild as Non-Combat Creature Encounters - Random Tables
Non-Combat Encounter Tables - wilds & ruins | underground | travelers | city & village | level 1-10 | level 11+ | orcs
Non-Combat Encounters for Wilderness
| 1d20 | Non-Combat Encounters for Wilderness |
|---|---|
| 1 | A saddled hippogriff has a broken wing. Eaten corpse of its rider but still hungry. Protecting a pack but bonds with anyone that offers food |
| 2 | Several commoners, acolytes and tribal warriors are heading to a secluded spot to dance, smoke herbs and have fun. Invite group along. |
| 3 | A clay golem is collecting lots of one type of plant to take to it's owner |
| 4 | A few elven scouts are building a tree-house. Grateful for any help |
| 5 | A giant goat has a nose ring and brand of a giant. Curious about group |
| 6 | Several lizardfolk ask group to act as witnesses for a wedding. Between a lizardfolk shaman and a satyr. Welcome them to join in the feasting |
| 7 | A few orcs (perform +2, no greataxes) are practicing musical instruments away from others. Will try to play songs for the characters |
| 8 | An injured raven is caught in a snare. It is carrying a written message in Elven to a nearby sage |
| 9 | Several kenku and kobolds are engaged in a climbing contest, with the prize of some trinket. Others are welcome to join or watch |
| 10 | Two wights try communing with nature. It was last command they had. |
| 11 | A very serious pixie lectures travelers on the proper ways to respect the wilds. Highlights fire risks, potential pollution and imbalances in nature |
| 12 | A scholarly noble with a riding horse is collecting insects and plants a book they are writing. |
| 13 | Several vultures follow group, stealing scraps and scavenging from them |
| 14 | A few goblins are planting trees, collecting discarded objects and tending a garden. Their clan has been taken over by a powerful druid |
| 15 | An out of place yeti speaks excellent Common and offers to guide them around the area. Claims to live in area under protection of a local dragon |
| 16 | A few blink dog pups worry at an adult's corpse. Unusual arrows slew it |
| 17 | Ruloth's Enterprise are two guards and Ruloth, a cultist. They've been lost for two days looking for a tavern where prospective adventurers go. |
| 18 | A pack of baboons (or twig blights) follow the group, offering them flowers, pretty rocks and other trinkets. |
| 19 | An ogre wants to become a druid and searches for one to learn from |
| 20 | A young silver dragon is looking for an entrance to the Feywild nearby. Old songs and tales say it is in the area. |
Non-Combat Encounters for Ruins
| 1d20 | Non-Combat Encounters for Ruins |
|---|---|
| 1 | A few acolytes led by a pious knight are performing a religious rite |
| 2 | Several deep gnomes are singing songs around a campfire. They come to the surface once a decade to see the stars. |
| 3 | An ettin guards part of the ruins but heads argue over where and the ettin always moves around. Asks characters where it should guard |
| 4 | A few mirthful kobolds watch over an array of traps. Designed to make mess (paint, oil, insects, etc) rather than harm. Part of a rite of passage. |
| 5 | An androsphinx guards a planar portal. It offers the party a boon if they can find people worthy of taking its tests and quests |
| 6 | A pair of industrious ogres are restoring some of the ruins and have a good supply of wood, stone, tools and other building supplies |
| 7 | A talking crab claims to be a powerful sorcerer cursed by a local hag. It has a fly speed of 30 feet. |
| 8 | A ghast is obsessed with lore of the ruins and is investigating with a magnifying glass. Usually kills snakes for food. |
| 9 | An orphaned silver dragon wyrmling is looking for a place to call home |
| 10 | A renegade mind flayer arcanist is curious about wizardry on the surface world and is keen to find a place they can study and experiment. |
| 11 | A mummy is desperate to retrieve stolen item it was protecting. Speaks Common, offering ancient lore in exchange for scouting nearby villages |
| 12 | An adult blue dragon (or copper dragon) is curious about an entrance it is too large for. Wants the party to scout beyond the entrance for it. |
| 13 | A doppelganger pretends to be a powerful druid and gives dire warnings. Actually keeps watch on ruins for another local group. |
| 14 | A sad-looking brown bear is dying of a disease caught from in the ruins |
| 15 | Spirits celebrate an annual festival. A ghost offers a tour of the ruins |
| 16 | A duergar is making map of ruins. Avoids fights and tries finishing map |
| 17 | A patrol of tribal warriors led by a half-ogre are having a meal break here |
| 18 | The Foolish Five are guarding campsite of more powerful adventurers. They are a guard, 2 thugs, a lizardfolk shaman and githzerai monk. |
| 19 | Two yuan-ti malisons are here for few days of prayer and mediation and are not looking for trouble. They try to escape as snakes if threatened |
| 20 | A axe beak (or rhinoceros) with a with a saddle and barding has lost its rider. It is used to company and seeks someone to look after it |
More Encounters
Inspired by my D&D Encounter Generator and available on DM's Guild as Non-Combat Creature Encounters - Random Tables
