Tuesday, April 19, 2022

D100 Non-Combat Roadside Encounters for the Tablelands

I've seen many non-combat roadside encounter tables, but few of them work well for Dark Sun's unique setting. So, I've decided to make one myself.
In lieu of a combat encounter, DMs may use these instead. If an encounter does not make sense, roll again. A lot of these are just ideas, that should be fleshed out by the DM. Enjoy.

Roll 1 D100:

001: Dark clouds are overhead. It looks like it might actually rain. There is a 50/50 chance of it raining. If it does rain, however, it's torrential and easily causes flash flooding.

002: A small group of bandits are hiding near the road and waiting to spring out and attack. There are two bandits per PC, but they are one to two levels lower. Most of them are not very good at hiding and should be spotted by alert PCs.

003: The PCs find a flat stone near the road, with a crude skull painted on it. If the PCs look around, or travel further up the road, they find two more. These could be a warning, painted by an illiterate traveler, of danger up ahead.

004: A large armored wagon is slowly moving past the PCs, pulled by two mekillots. It will not stop for the PCs, without a very good incentive. There are 2d4 crodlu outriders. The crodlu outriders will yell at the PCs to clear the road.

005: A small group, 1d6, of recently escaped slaves come upon the PCs. They threaten the group with harm, if they outnumber the PCs, despite having no weapons or armor. Or they beg for food, water, and any other survival tools.


006: A trader's wagon is stranded on the side of the road. One, or more, of their draft animals has died and the trader had no way to move their wagon. The trader is poor and cannot afford to take the loss of the wagon's goods.

007: An old human man, dressed in rags, approaches the group and says he is a powerful person, such as a sorcerer-king, wizard, or master of the way. He harasses the group and is obviously mad, but is of no real threat to the PCs.

008: A group of people are attempting to establish a trade village. If near a city-state, the village is sponsored by the city-state and is organized, with uniform buildings. If away from a city-state, the buildings are haphazard and unorganized. Both villages want to trade with PCs.

009: 2d4 slave wagons, with two well-armed guards per wagon, will attempt to sell one, or more, of the slaves to the PCs. Some of the slaves are children. Make sure to describe how miserable the slaves look and how scummy the slavers look.

010: A person is laying on, or near, the road. They are unconscious and badly beaten.

011: A half-elf child is crying near the road, they have just been abandoned by one, or both, of their parents.

012: An old elf has just been abandoned by their tribe, because he/she can no longer run. The elf is proud and is prepared to die.

013: A large flock of erdland, or other animal, are blocking the road.

014: A dead man is near the road. He obviously died of dehydration, but has a half full waterskin in his withered hand.

015: An abandoned wagon, or hand cart, is on the side of the road. There are no signs of any living beings nearby.

016: There is a carcass of a large beast, such as a mekillot, near the road. The stench is powerful. There are many, many scavengers, such as vultures, eating from the carcass.

017: A group of hunters, 1d6+1 from the nearby small village, are tracking and hunting a large beast, or a group of beasts. They ask the PCs for assistance and promise to give them a share of the kill.

018: A distraught woman approaches the PCs and claims some slavers just kidnapped her child. They road away on beasts, kanks or crodlu, and she was unable to follow, but she saw which direction they went. She promises them some sort of cheap payment, a few bits or some woven goods.

019: After a recent sandstorm, large crystal formations appeared, or were uncovered, in the desert. Light shines off of the crystals and can be seen from the road.

020: The PCs find an abandoned wicker backpack in the road. Inside is something good, 25% of the time; something bad 25% of the time, something useless 25% of the time, or nothing 25% of the time.

021: A group of animals cross the road in a hurry. The seem to be fleeing from something, but the PCs are unable to see what they are running from.

022: A loud whistle pierces the still air and sounds for several seconds. The whistle is annoying, but does not harm the PCs.

023: A group of refugees move toward the group. Their village was attacked, by bandits, animals, or a single large creature, and they were driven out.

024: An overpowering stench assaults the PCs senses. The PCs cannot see where it is coming from, but can chose to follow it, if they wish.

025: A sandstorm can be seen approaching the PCs. They must quickly find shelter.

026: An elf with a broken leg is hoping, limping, or crawling on the ground. The elf's tribe has left them behind, because the elf could not run.

027: Several dead bodies litter the road and a destroyed wagon is nearby. The bodies show signs of violence used against them.

028: A trail of blood crosses the road and leads into the wilderness.

029: Plants growing nearby could indicate food, or groundwater.

030: The PCs find a person claiming to be a wandering elemental priest. The priest offers them their services, for a price. The services and payment should depend on the PCs need and capabilities.

031: The PCs run across an abandoned campsite. There is something strange in the fire pit.

032: A piece of vellum is blowing on the wind and the PCs have a chance to grab it. Unfortunately, it is written in a language that none of the PCs can read.

033: The PCs find a child in a basket. The child has a strange birthmark on their cheek and is very thirsty.

034: A nomadic structure, such as a hide and stick hut or tipi, is set up near the road. From the outside, it appears abandoned.

035: A raggedly dressed person approaches the group and kneels to one of the PCs. The person promises to serve the PC faithfully for a year and day. All the person asks in return is for food, water, and a drop of the PC's blood. The person will not explain why they want the blood.

036: An escaped gladiator, identifiable by their tattoos, approaches the group and gets into a fighting stance. Unfortunately, the gladiator is exhausted and collapses a few seconds later.

037: A giant stone head is half sunk in the sand, or resting on the stony ground. The head is of a noble-looking person and seems to have once been a mighty statue.

038: The PCs find a group of plants near the road. A PC with the herbalism or gardening non-weapon proficiency may identify them as plants with healing properties.

039: The group finds a small belt pouch containing small bits of bone, or bone dice.

040: The PCs come across a group of halflings feeding on a dead human, elf, or dwarf body. The halflings will watch the PCs closely, but not interact, unless disturbed. 

041: A small group, 1d8, of intelligent humanoids are laying on the ground, near the road, and begging the party for water.

042: The PCs are approached by a small group of travelers, one for each PC, and ask for directions to the nearest settlement. If the PCs provide the directions, the travelers realize that they've been going to the wrong way.

043: The PCs encounter a battered caravan, with many wounded, including the commander of the guards. If the PCs offer aid, the commander of the guards insists that he and his men are healed before anyone else in the caravan.

044: A recent sand, or wind, storm has uncovered a half-giant sized statue. The statue depicts four person shaped figures. Each figure represents one of the four main elements; air, earth, fire, and water.

045: A lone body is found near the road, still on a bedroll and covered by a blanket. His possessions, a weapon, armor, a few bits, and provisions are nearby. The body shows no sign of violence.

046: A group of people, the same number as PCs, are attempting to capture some wild kanks.

047: The PCs come upon a crater, with pieces of stone scattered around it. In the crater is a bronze bottle with a stopper. The bottle may contain a genie, another creature, or some magical concoction.

048: A group of hunters has just taken down a large beast and as they are butchering it, the PCs come across them. The hunters warn the PCs to stay back, that the kill is theirs.

049: Moaning and shrieking come from some ruins in the distance. If the PCs investigate, the see movement in the ruins, but as they get closer, the movement and noise cease.

050: A large flock of birds flies overhead. If they are carrion eaters, they might circle the group the few times, hoping for an easy meal.

051: A small merchant caravan is speeding past, 1d10 wagons pulled by pairs of kanks. They also have one kank outrider per two wagons. The kank outriders will yell at the PCs to clear the road.

052: A crazed person runs up to the group and claims that Ral and Guthay will soon collide and the world will end.

053: The PCs come upon a large group of thorny bushes. Trapped inside the bushes is a small animal, such as a dog or hawk.

054: The PCs see a weapon sunk into the ground nearby, it looks like it was placed there intentionally. The weapon appears to be in good shape.

055: The PCs see a patch of wild flowers nearby. Walking through the flowers is a small child, or young lady. There seems to be no one with them.

056: A group of templars and warriors, from the nearest city state, are apprehending someone. They warn the PCs to stay back, but the one being apprehended begs for help and claims innocence.

057: Inside an abandoned sack, the PCs find some illegal items; a vellum scroll with writing and a charcoal pencil. The writing is in the language of the closest city-state and denounces the cities sorcerer monarch.

058: An elemental cleric, along with a few followers, come upon the PCs and begins preaching about their element to them.

059: The PCs see a lush oasis in the distance. Unfortunately, it is only a mirage.

060: The PCs path is crossed by an unassuming animal, such as a dog or sygra. The animal will stop and look at the PCs. If the PCs stare back, they will see that the animal has humanoid-like eyes.

061: A small, temporary settlement has been attacked and the inhabitants slaughtered. Everyone in the village was killed and their bodies are strewn about. Some of the inhabitants obviously attempted to flee.

062: A broken hand cart has been abandoned nearby. Someone with carpentry skills may be able to repair it.

063: A group of templars and guards, from a nearby city-state, believe one of the PCs is a criminal they have been sent to apprehend.

064: A wonderful smell wafts across the PCs noses. If the investigate, the find some nomads cooking over a campfire. The nomads are cautious of the new arrivals.

065: A small group of cloaked figures approach the characters and offer to trade them some goods for information about current events in a local city-state.

066: The PCs come upon a battlefield. City-state armies are having a skirmish. It could be a few dozen soldiers on each side, to a few hundred.

067: A group of templars and guards are hunting a fugitive. They have a drawing of the suspect and one of PCs recognizes the fugitive from their last stop. There may be a reward.

068: A traveler from a nearby settlement asks the PCs for help. It seems a plague has struck the settlement and its population is dying.

069: There is a ruined fortress in the distance. It appears to have been, at one time, quite impressive.

070: A PC discovers a natural sink hole, or dust bowl. The PC must save vs breath weapon, or fall in.

071: The PCs see some recently disturbed earth nearby, or large stack of stones. If the PCs investigate, they find that the disturbed earth, or stone mound, is a grave or graves.

072: An old elemental priest approaches the group and begs for their help. The old priest once lead a village, but a young paraelemental cleric has taken control of the settlement and driven the old priest away. The old priest doesn't have much to give them, but will give what he can.

073: The PCs find an old hermit, either walking alone, or living in a miserable looking dwelling. The hermit is actually a psionicist, druid, preserver, or defiler. The hermit wishes to practice their art, without nosy interlopers.

074: Herders and their group of animals are traveling to a new area to graze. They may offer the PCs an animal to buy, or just slow down their travels.

075: A group of wounded people ask for some food and water. They promise to tell them about a ruin nearby that is filled with riches.

076: A group of kank, or crodlu, riders encounter the PCs and ask if they came across a caravan of a particular trading house. They will have a drawing of the house's symbol. It seems the caravan did not arrive at its destination.

077: A pillar of smoke can be seen in the distance. The smoke is dense and black.

078: A desert giant, or group of desert giants, are sleeping near the road. They have been kicked off their island and must try to survive on the mainland.

079: A tribe of elves are running by and will ignore the PCs, unless they draw attention to themselves.

080: An armored caravan, pulled by mekillots and with several outriders, specializes in slaves. They run across the PCs and offer to buy the most poorly dressed of the PCs, mistaking them for a slave.

081: The PCs smell a foul odor, like rotten eggs, and discover a portion of their food, 1d100%, has spoiled unexpectedly.

082: The PCs, or one PC, gets a terrible feeling suddenly. This feeling of dread may be caused by a creature, or it may be an area twisted by defiling.

083: One of the PCs accidentally inhales a flying insect. There is a 5% chance that the insect is poisonous.

084: Some bandits have set a rope across the road, that when pulled tight could knock travelers off of their mounts. The rope is easily seen by those who are looking for it. The bandits are hidden nearby.

085: A merchant caravan was attacked and a lone survivor remains. He/she asks to travel with the PCs to the next settlement. In truth, this survivor is with a group of bandits and will psionically contact them to plan a raid on the PCs.

086: A recent environmental calamity has left debris covering the PCs intended path. Navigating around, or over, the debris will slow them down considerably. Clearing the debris will take even longer.

087: One of the PCs beasts of burden falls ill and refuses to move on for 1d4 days. If the PCs are unable to assist the sick animal, it has a 50% chance of dying. If the PCs don't have any beasts of burden, one of them falls ill instead.

088: A swarm of biting and stinging insects descends on the PCs. They cause no damage, but annoy the characters for an hour, or so. There is a 5% chance per PC of a PC contracting a disease from the insects.

089: A sand filled tornado forms near the characters. The players should seek shelter immediately, or suffer damage. If the PCs do not seek shelter, they take damage, which increases every round that they are unsheltered. The damage increases as follows: 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, 2d6, 2d8, 3d6, 2d10, 2d12, 2d20, 2d20+1d10, 3d20, 3d20+1d10, 4d20.
If the PCs are in an area that would not have tornadoes, feel free to have a rock slide, due to an earthquake.

090: An angry person or persons, riding kanks, from a settlement they PCs recently left, catch up to the PCs and accuse them of something. It doesn't have to be a crime, but it certainly could be.

091: White and gray ash falls from the sky, blanketing the PCs and the nearby area. It could be caused by a nearby volcano eruption, or an eruption thousands of miles away.

092: Clouds gather overhead, providing a respite from the sun. There is no rain, but lightning is very common. If the PCs do not seek shelter, there is a 1% chance per ten minutes of exposure of getting struck by lightning, for 3d10 damage. In the PCs have metal weapons or armor, the chance of getting struck by lightning is 2% and increases by 2% every ten minutes.

093: The PCs hear whispering all around them, best used in the evening or at night, but see no one. The truth could be that there is a small group of living people stuck in the Gray and are trying to get the PCs to free them.

094: The players find a belt pouch on the road. Inside are a few bits and ceramic pieces. If the PCs do not check, they will not know that they are counterfeit.

095: The PCs encounter a young child, who has the wild talent: molecular agitation. The child cannot control their wild talent and has run away from home, after setting it on fire for the sixth time.

096: A dust devil sweeps across the group. The dust is extremely fine and may contaminate their water, 20% chance per container. The PCs must save vs petrification, or be blinded for d12 minutes. Washing out the eyes, with a pint of water, for one minute will cure the blindness.

097: The PCs discover a small oasis. It may be guarded by a druid, or a group of warriors.

098: A bounty hunter, or group of bounty hunters, catches up with the PCs. A bounty is on one of the PCs, or an NPC they know.

099: The PCs find a natural portal to an elemental, or paraelemental, plane. The PCs may not know what they are looking at. An earth portal may look like a cave or pit of quicksand. An air portal may be invisible, but feel like rushing wind.

100: On the horizon, the PCs see a large figure moving perpendicular to them. The silhouette is clearly that of the Dragon.

My son, wife, and my friend Galidan helped me with this list.
If you like, or dislike, my list, or if you have your own non-combat encounters to share, comment below.

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