Travel through the hills and mountains can be a peaceful affair—but where’s the fun in that? This week’s Dungeon Tables features a multitude of mountainous monsters and encounters for your players to explore. The provided foes range in a wide spread of difficulties, so some results may be easy while others deadly. Feel free to use as inspiration or tweak, modify, and supplement to your heart’s content. Grab your 50 feet of rope and your hammer and pitons and get climbing!
Hills & Mountains
| 2d20 | Encounter |
| 2 | An azi dahaka (see Creature Codex) is perched on a peak high above the trail. It is currently distracted by creating a massive storm. The characters have advantage on Stealth checks. |
| 3 | A scouting party for a nomadic pack of mountain striders (see Tome of Beasts 2) crosses paths with the characters. They refuse to leave until the characters move on, wary of outsiders crossing paths with the rest of the herd. |
| 4 | A manticore out on the hunt. |
| 5 | During the night, a swarm of 1d4 + 2 giant vampire bats (50%) or giant albino bats (50%) (see Creature Codex) descend upon the characters. |
| 6 | The character with the highest passive Perception notices a skeleton in the snow or amidst the rocks not far from the path. There is nothing of use on the body, half an hour later, the characters come across a stuhac (see Tome of Beasts), hoping to lure the party astray. |
| 7 | A brown bear sleeps in a covered recess just off the pathway. It is only aggressive if awoken. |
| 8 | 1d4 + 2 griffons circle the sky above the characters. If the characters have horses or other equine-like creatures in their midst, one of the griffons lets out a piercing cry and all of them dive toward the party. |
| 9 | A tusked skyfish(see Tome of Beasts) drifts into camp while the characters are sleeping. If the characters are roused and move out of the skyfish’s path, it drifts straight through camp and continues on its way, searching for more sedentary prey. If it reaches a sleeping creature before it is noticed however, it uses its Tendril Curtain ability. |
| 10 | Bones clutter the pathway and the surrounding area. The character with the highest passive Perception notices strands of pale blue webbing amid the bones, just as the bones begin to shudder and float of their on accord. A moment later, 1d4 balloon spiders (see Tome of Beasts 2) descend on the party. |
| 11 | During the night, a band of 3d4 black sun orcs (see Creature Codex) raid the character’s camp. |
| 12 | The ground beneath the characters begins to rumble and shake. On the next round, a bulette erupts from the earth. |
| 13 | The ground beneath the characters begins to rumble and shake. On the next round, a purple worm erupts from the earth. |
| 14 | A thunderstorm rolls in. With it come 4d4 azza gremlins (see Tome of Beasts). |
| 15 | A curious giant weasel approaches to investigate the camp but doesn’t attack unless attacked. It can be temporarily befriended with offerings of food. |
| 16 | 3 ogres decide to toy with the party. They attack the characters, content to disarm and bully—or render a character unconscious, wait for it to wake up, and then beat it until it is unconscious again. |
| 17 | A flock of 2d4 + 2 narsharks (see Tome of Beasts 2) swoop and dive through the sky above the characters. Once they spot the party, they descend to feast. |
| 18 | A circular ritual site with a single standing stone in the center is guarded by a goat man (see Tome of Beasts). |
| 19 | A fear liath (see Creature Codex) stalks the characters. It spends hours or days on the edge of their vision, nothing more than a shadow seen out of the corner of their eye or footsteps heard in the space between their own, until it grows tired of the game or is caught out and attacked. |
| 20 | The character with the highest passive Perception hears guttural arguing coming from around the upcoming bend. If they investigate, they find an ettin, it’s two heads engaged in an angry debate in Giant about the giant spider it’s killed. If the ettin spots the characters, it attacks. |
| 21 | A roc’s nest can be seen in the distance as a conglomeration of tents, wagons, and splintered bits of nearby homes. If the characters investigate, there’s a 50% change the roc is within its nest. |
| 22 | A derro explorer (see Tome of Beasts 2) has ventured to the surface with a pack of 2d4 dogmoles (see Tome of Beasts) to hunt for surface dwellers. The dogmoles have visible scars and fresh whip marks along their hide. If the derro explorer is killed, any remaining dogmoles immediately become passive and will only continue to attack the characters if cornered. |
| 23 | A wyvern swoops down upon the characters with a terrifying roar. |
| 24 | 2d4 axe beaks, grumpy and aggressive. |
| 25 | A redcap (see Tome of Beasts) whose cap is nearly dry. |
| 26 | A band of 2d4 bandits (50%) or 2d4 bandits and a bandit captain descend upon the characters, looking for gold and goods. |
| 27 | A mountain nymph (see Tome of Beasts 2) watches the party from afar. If any of the characters disrespect the land, she turns wrathful, and they become the quarry in her hunt. |
| 28 | A massive blemmyes (see Tome of Beasts) is drawn by the smell of living flesh. |
| 29 | A pack of 3d4 worgs stalk the party through the craggy pathways. |
| 30 | A hippogriff circles the characters. If any characters or creatures with the group are of size Small or smaller, the hippogriff swoops in to grab them. |
| 31 | As the characters round a bend, a valley opens up below them. In the basin is an ychen bannog (see Tome of Beasts), lost and separated from its herd. It is not hostile and flees if attacked. |
| 32 | A child of Yggdrasil (see Creature Codex) creeps down the cliffside to ambush the characters below. |
| 33 | An alluring song can be heard on the breeze. A flock of 1d6 harpies is nesting on a nearby cliffside. Characters must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed as per the harpy’s alluring song ability. |
| 34 | A war band of 3d4 gnolls attacks the characters, slavering and growling. |
| 35 | An elophar (see Creature Codex) stumbled down the path toward the characters. |
| 36 | A hill giant, grumbling to itself about how hungry it is and dragging its massive club along behind it. |
| 37 | 1d4 bearfolk (75%, see Tome of Beasts) or 1d4 bearfolk and a bearfolk chieftain (25%, see Creature Codex) surround the characters on the road and demand to know their business. As long as the characters are mostly good-aligned and/or are on route to do good deeds, the bearfolk allow the characters to pass. |
| 38 | Along icy peaks, an avalanche screamer (see Tome of Beasts 2) hunts for prey, and the characters look like an easy meal. |
| 39 | A cave mouth opens not far from the path. If the characters succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, they hear the labored breathing of a large creature. Within, a flab giant (see Tome of Beasts) sleeps. |
| 40 | While the characters are sleeping, 2d4 giant wolf spiders creep into their camp. |
Thanks for another great installment!
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