Fantasy Encounters, Hazards and NPCs for Islands

A diplomat with servants and guards has recently arrived. They are from a ship moored off the island, bearing gifts for the local ruler.

Simple encounter tables for islands in any fantasy setting. Tables for Island Encounter Prompts, Island Hazards & Distractions and Island Quick NPCs.

[photo by Michael on Unsplash]

Fantasy Island Encounters

Island encounters range from merfolk telling tales of underwater life to climbers seeking eggs in the cliffs or a superstitious diver who serves a sea monster. There might be a strange dead shark washed up on shore or a storm heading for the island.

Places where sea meets lands, eggs are laid and lives started anew. A place of fishers who live off the sea, warriors from below and above the sea, and those washed up from distant shores.

There is a fantasy sea encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Island Encounters.

10 Island Encounter Prompts

1d10	10 Island Encounter Prompts
1	Noisy islanders in costumes are having fun with rafts (or small boats)
2	A pair of well-dressed adventurers are posturing and exchanging insults. One requests assistance to prepare for an imminent duel.
3	A daring climber is searching for rare eggs (or a stolen treasure)
4	A stone (or metal) humanoid construct, covered in barnacles, has lost its legs. It is slowly crawling toward a destination deeper in the island.
5	A pod of whales emerge from the sea, into the sky, circling the group.
6	A diplomat with servants and guards has recently arrived. They are from a ship moored off the island, bearing gifts for the local ruler.
7	A pair of friendly merfolk tell tales of aquatic empires and sea giants.
8	A shapeshifting fiend (or spirit) is trapped within a boat marked with silvery runes. They try to appear harmless and ask for assistance.
9	A giant lizard (or dinosaur) is ridden by goblins, who hail the group.
10	A small herd of goats is eating seaweed. Two of them stand out, far larger than their companions and marked as holy to a local deity.

Island Hazards and Distractions

1d10	There is (or are)...
1	a bad (or good) omen in the sky; or a thick mist with a greenish tinge
2	something washed up on shore, a(n)... d10 (1-2. cursed idol 3. skeleton in a barrel 4. chest, wrapped in chains 5. crate of turnips 6. ship nameplate among driftwood 7. dead shark 8. map of an underwater city 9. basket of eggs 10. will in a scrollcase)
3	a sea of crabs (or turtles) covering the area or continuous heavy rain
4	a message made of shells or many migrating birds in the sky
5	the strong smell of ... d10 (1-2. cooking fish 3. something unpleasant 4. oil 5. rotting fruit 6. burning tar 7. coconut 8. wet fur 9. seaweed 10. alcohol)
6	an incoming tsunami wave (or thick sea fog); or a waterspout
7	a huge egg, ready to hatch or a body hanging from a tree
8	sounds of ... d10 (1-2. squawking 3. a bell 4. alluring singing 5. sea mammals 6. primates 7. splashing 8. hammering 9. drums 10. screaming)
9	a storm heading for the island or abandoned boat with recent tracks
10	a disturbing lack of wind and noise or a rope that leads into a cave

Quick Island NPCs

1d10	Descriptor	Profession	who...
1	half-human or cursed	warrior	is unsure how they got here
2	singing or sea elf	pirate	challenges group to a race
3	lizardfolk or tattooed	hermit	has an aquatic mount (or pet)
4	superstitious or undead	navigator	is with a few islanders (or sailor)
5	merfolk or questing	islander	is a character's friend (or rival)
6	marooned or muscular	sailor	dives for pearls (or sea plants)
7	shapechanging or wary	smuggler	has an old map (or fishing net)
8	pretty or goblinoid	sea priest	has a boat and loyal crew
9	animal-kin or starving	diver	paints sunsets (or seascapes)
10	lucky or crabfolk	fisher	serves a sea monster (or dragon)

More Encounters