" Horses graze in a grove of trees around an elephant skeleton. A couple of the horses are watching a group of riders in the distance. "
Simple encounter tables for ports and docks in any fantasy setting. Tables for Combined Plains Encounters, Plains Encounter Details and Plains Encounter Locations.
Fantasy Hinterlands - all | trinkets | farmland encs | hill encs | plains encs | road encs | tavern encs
Fantasy Wilds - all | trinkets | coastal encs | cold encs | desert encs | forest encs | hill encs | jungle encs | mountain encs | plains encs | swamp encs
[art by Henrik Karppinen]
Fantasy Plains Encounters
Plains come in the forms of grassland, steppes and savannah, are home to herds of many creatures, places to be farmed and roamed. A waterhole surrounded by crops, hut on stilts, grassy mesa or pavilion tent. Hunters lighting a fire, a tiger drinking from a stream or a many bison, making a huge noise.
It's also a place of bushes, rivers, bandits, centaurs, elk, scarecrows and vultures.
There is a fantasy encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Plains Encounters.
Plains Combined Encounters
These reference Port tables for Encounter Prompts, Hazards and NPCs
| 1d10 | Plains Combined Encounters | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | an empty wagon with many tracks leading away or roll on Hazards | |
| 2 | an opportunistic (or giant)... d10 (1-2. goat 3. pack of hyenas 4. eagle (or dinosaur) 5. pack of lions 6. flightless bird 7. pack of vultures 8. snake 9. tiger 10. herd of boar) | |
| 3 | a dusty priest with a few donkeys, seeking folk in need or roll on NPCs | |
| 4 | several (or a pair of)... d10 (1-2. hunters 3. warriors 4. herders with goats 5. nonhumans 6. centaurs 7. bandits 8. catfolk 9. scouts 10. farmers) | |
| 5 | a herd of nosy ponies, hopeful for treats or roll on Enc. Descriptions | |
| 6 | a few (or many)... d10 (1-2. horses 3. ogres 4. deer 5. animated scarecrows 6. dryads 7. grassland spirits 8. bison 9. elephants 10. leopards ) | |
| 7 | an approaching thunderstorm (or cloud of dust); or roll on Hazards | |
| 8 | a group (or trio) of mounted... d10 (1-2. warriors on horses 3. militia on mules 4. berserkers on boars 5. archers on elk 6. scouts on ponies 7. adventurers on various beasts 8. hunters on a warbeast 9. goblins on wolves 10. travelers on horses) | |
| 9 | a berserker on an armoured bear, hunting a cousin; or roll on NPCs | |
| 10 | a potential (or signs of a) danger, a(n)... d10 (1-2. insect swarm 3. pack of raptors 4. griffon 5. wind elemental 6. giant scorpion7. djinni 8. giant worm 9. cockatrice 10. plains drake) |
Plains Encounter Details
Use 1d6 for beasts or non-sentient creatures.
| 1d10 | They are... (or one is...) |
|---|---|
| 1 | associated with a local settlement (or temple); or making lots of noise |
| 2 | watching something in the distance, a(n)... d10 (1-2.animal herd 3. group of riders 4. whirlwind 5. titanic creature 6. weird cloud 7. skyship 8. flashing light 9. plume of smoke 10. storm) |
| 3 | hiding (or resting) in long grass; or drinking from a water source |
| 4 | partway through (or ending) a journey; or eating a freshly killed beast |
| 5 | watching (or following) a group of ... d10 (1-2. horses 3. goats 4. elephants (or flightless birds) 5. cattle 6. sheep 7. elk 8. camels (or rhinos) 9. boars (or dinosaurs) 10. ponies) |
| 6 | chasing (or being chased by) something; or with their young |
| 7 | building (or destroying) something ; or with a wagon |
| 8 | putting up (or taking down) tents; or patrolling for threats |
| 9 | herding (or stealing) horses (or cattle); or making music |
| 10 | lighting (or putting out) a fire; or tending to crops |
Plains Encounter Locations
| 1d10 | Area, a(n)... | Feature, a(n)... |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | wide river with a ford (or ferry) | pavilion tent or statue of a sun god |
| 2 | abandoned hamlet (or barn) | prickly bush or few tumbleweeds |
| 3 | area of deep mud or hot springs | thick hedge or elephant skeleton |
| 4 | waterhole surrounded by crops | overturned chariot (or rowing boat) |
| 5 | sinkhole or tree with a large nest | hut on stilts or pool with boars |
| 6 | grassy mesa or grove of trees | trench and spade or cave entrance |
| 7 | watchtower with a bronze bell | pile of ivory (or stones); or windmill |
| 8 | field of tall grass or line of trees | mud pool with a geyser (or corpse) |
| 9 | bridge over a river (or ravine) | beast pen with ponies or high fence |
| 10 | overgrown low cliff or steep hill | bright flower garden or scarecrow |
More Encounters
There is a fantasy encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Plains Encounters.
If you liked these there are Generators at Chaos Gen and a monthly random tools Newsletter. Or find us on the Rand Roll Discord or an instagram of Random Tables.
