Random Encounters of Norwold

Image by andrekosslick, source

Here I introduce my customised encounter tables for selected areas of Norwold according to my campaign ideas. Random encounter tables should always be considered the starting point for possible encounters, not a complete definitive list of what can be met. Just because a creature is not in the tables does not mean it cannot be encountered, merely that it is at the discretion of the DM, not the dice. You may notice the dice rolled on each table are 1d12+1d8. This is a nostalgic re-use of the method of tables at the back of 1E AD&D Monster Manual 2, with more common creatures towards the centre of the table and rarer creatures at the extremes.

Another thing to bear in mind is the relative challenge these encounters will pose to PCs. Unlike discrete levels of a dungeon, wilderness areas are generally not geared towards specific character levels. Nonetheless, it can be seen that the wilds of Norwold are considerably more dangerous than those of Karameikos. This is not coincidental - Karameikos is considered a default starting area for 1st level characters, while Norwold was conceived as an area for Companion-level (15th to 25th level) characters. Although only a few of the encountered creatures would be a serious challenge for a party of 15th level adventurers, most of these will keep mid-level adventurers on their toes. I would therefore suggest that DMs using these tables should discourage PCs below 5th level from venturing out into the wilds beyond the coastal towns and villages. 

Note that I have included weather/environmental events here as well, marked in green. These will require more DM adjudication than conventional monster encounters. It is a good idea when adventuring in Norwold for the players and DM to establish what clothing the PCs are wearing. If they invest in waterproof and warm coats and cloaks then the effects of some of these weather events can be mitigated. Striding about in nothing but a furry loincloth and horned helmet may look mighty but frostbite and hypothermia do not care for vanity. 

The Great Bay of Norwold is fairly consistent all year round - as a sea it is less susceptible to seasonal changes than the more extreme hinterlands of Norwold

Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	The Great Bay	No. Enc	Notes
2	Sea Hydra	1	As hydra but with turtle-like flippers instead of lizard legs
3	Water Elemental	1d3	Roll 1d10: 1-6: 8HD, 7-9: 12HD, 0 : 16HD
4	Salt-water Sturgeon	1d6	As Giant Sturgeon.
5	Storm		Damages to ships, may push ships off course. Lasts 1d6 hours
6	Giant Walrus	1d8	Not aggressive unless provoked, stats here
7	Giant Squid	1d4
8	Mermen	2d10	Will include a leader (2HD)
9	Dolphin	2d8	From Companion Rules & Rules Cyclopedia
10	Human Fisherman		Fleet of 1d6 boats with 2d4 fishermen per boat
11	Human Trader		1 ship with 3d8 crew + merchant
12	Walrus	1d10	Stats here
13	Giant Octopus	1d4
14	Norwold Shark	1d6	Stats as Mako shark. Known man-eaters
15	Giant Crab	1d6
16	Human Pirate	3d6+2	1 ship with 3d6 pirates + 1 captain (F3) & 1 mate (F2)
17	Sea Termite	1
18	Icebergs		May damage ship hulls causing shipwreck
19	Dense Fog		Reduces visibility down to 30ft/10 yards, lasts for 1d6 hours, increased chance of getting lost
20	Sea Dragon	1	From Expert rulebook. Use Sperm Whale if you do not have these stats

Lothbarth Forest is the large stretch of coniferous forest (taiga) immediately to the north of the Great Bay of Norwold, and includes the forests surrounding the towns of Barathmir, Panteria and Latela. The creatures and weather encountered change with the seasons, so there are two encounter tables, one for summer, one for winter.

Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	Lothbarth Forest Summer	No. Enc	Notes
2	Green Dragon	1
3	Brown Bear	1d3
4	Lupin	2d8
5	Elf	2d8	As in Monster section of Basic rules + 1 2nd level elf leader
6	Giant Boar	1d4	Stats here
7	Rain storm		Lasts 1d6 hours. Everything is soaked. Spellbooks, flint & tinder and other items that must stay dry need special precautions
8	Auroch	1d10	Stats here
9	Wolf	2d10
10	Herd Animal	3d10	Roll 1d10: 1-6: Fallow Deer (1HD), 7-8: Wapiti (2HD), 9-10 Bison (4HD)
11	Boar	1d6
12	Human NPCs	2d6	Roll 1d10: 1-5 Peasants (NM), 6-8: Bandits, 9-10: Adventurers or special
13	Dense Fog		Reduces visibility down to 30ft/10 yards, lasts for 1d6 hours, increased chance of getting lost
14	Orc	3d6
15	Dire Wolf	2d4
16	Giant Stag	2d6	Stats here
17	Giant Hawk	1d4
18	Werewolf	1d8
19	Wereboar	1d3
20	Troll	1	.
Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	Lothbarth Forest Winter	No. Enc	Notes
2	White Dragon	1
3	Polar Bear	1
4	Lupin	2d8
5	Elf	2d8	As in Monster section of Basic rules + 1 2nd level elf leader
6	Giant Boar	1d4	Stats here
7	Blizzard		Lasts 1d6 hours. Visibilty reduced to 30ft/10 yards, all creatures not wrapped up warm take 1 damage per hour. Deep snow creates difficult terrain (half movement)
8	Auroch	1d10	Stats here
9	Wolf	2d10
10	Herd Animal	3d10	Roll 1d10: 1-6: Fallow Deer (1HD), 7-8: Wapiti (2HD), 9-10 Bison (4HD)
11	Boar	1d6
12	Human NPCs	2d6	Roll 1d10: 1-5 Peasants (NM), 6-8: Bandits, 9-10: Adventurers or special
13	Deep Snow		Reduces movement on land by half. Snow depth varies but drifts up to 1d6+1 ft. Halflings and gnomes will struggle to move
14	Orc	3d6
15	Dire Wolf	2d4
16	Giant Stag	2d6	Stats here
17	Giant Hawk	1d4
18	Werewolf	1d8
19	Cold Snap		All creatures not immune to cold take 1d4 damage per hour, -1 damage if wearing warm clothing, lasts 1d6 hours
20	Frost Giant	1	.

Noskumis Plains are more accurately called Noskumis Tundra - the low, tough vegetation is not just grasses but also moss, lichen, small bushes and heather. Like the Lothbarth Forest the Noskumis Tundra changes dramatically with the seasons, so two tables, one for winter, one for summer, are given here. 

Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	Noskumis Tundra Summer	No. Enc	Notes
2	Blue Dragon	1
3	White Dragon	1
4	Winter Wolf	1d6	Borrowed from 1E AD&D
5	Giant Eagle	1d4	Stats here
6	Mastodon/Mammoth	1d10	Roll 1d10: 1-6: Mastodon, 7-0 Mammoth. Mammoths have same stats but extra 2HD
7	Woolly Rhino	1d10	Borrowed from 1E AD&D
8	Neanderthal	3d6
9	Rain storm		Lasts 1d6 hours. Everything is soaked. Spellbooks, flint & tinder and other items that must stay dry need special precautions
10	Dire Wolf	1d10
11	Herd Animal	3d10	Roll 1d10: 1-7: Caribou (2HD), 8-9: Musk-Oxen (3HD), 0: Bison (4HD)
12	Human/Demihuman	2d6	Roll 1d10: 1-7: Nomad, 8-9: Chaotic Bandit, 0: Adventurers or DM's Choice
13	Dense Fog		Reduces visibility down to 30ft/10 yards, lasts for 1d6 hours, increased chance of getting lost
14	Cave Bear	1
15	Giant Elk	1d4	Stats here
16	Sabertooth Tiger	1d6
17	Axebeak	2d10	Stats here
18	Ogre	2d10
19	Troll	1d4
20	Frost Giant	1d4	.
Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	Noskumis Tundra Winter	No. Enc	Notes
2	Frost Salamander	1
3	White Dragon	1
4	Winter Wolf	1d6	Borrowed from 1E AD&D
5	Tusked Yeti	1d4	Stats here
6	Mastodon/Mammoth	1d10	Roll 1d10: 1-6: Mastodon, 7-0 Mammoth. Mammoths have same stats but extra 2HD
7	Woolly Rhino	1d10	Borrowed from 1E AD&D
8	Neanderthal	3d6
9	Deep Snow		Reduces movement on land by half. Snow depth varies but drifts up to 1d6+1 ft. Halflings and gnomes will struggle to move
10	Dire Wolf	1d10
11	Herd Animal	3d10	Roll 1d10: 1-7: Caribou (2HD), 8-9: Musk-Oxen (3HD), 0: Bison (4HD)
12	Blizzard		Lasts 1d6 hours. Visibilty reduced to 30ft/10 yards, all creatures not wrapped up warm take 1 damage per hour. Deep snow creates difficult terrain (half movement)
13	Dense Fog		Reduces visibility down to 30ft/10 yards, lasts for 1d6 hours, increased chance of getting lost
14	Cave Bear	1
15	Giant Elk	1d4	Stats here
16	Sabertooth Tiger	1d6
17	Ice Trap		Snow covers thin ice over water. 3d6x10 lb weight will break, dropping creature into freezing cold water (rules for swimming & drowning apply)
18	Ogre	2d10
19	Cold Snap	1d4	All creatures not immune to cold take 1d4 damage per hour, -1 damage if wearing warm clothing, lasts 1d6 hours
20	Frost Giant	1d4	.

The Everwinter Lands host few normal animals, as the lack of vegetation and intense cold will drive away or kill all but the hardiest of biological creatures. There is hardly any vegetation - maybe some patches of tough lichen on exposed rock, but for the most-part the Everwinter Lands are desolate. Unlike some other areas of Norwold, summer has no influence here - it is as the name suggests: perpetual winter. 

Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	Everwinter Lands	No. Enc	Notes
2	Remorhaz	1	Borrowed from AD&D
3	White Dragon	1d4
4	White Dragon	1
5	Frost Salamander	1d4
6	Frost Salamander	1
7	Dense Fog		Reduces visibility down to 30ft/10 yards, lasts for 1d6 hours, increased chance of getting lost
8	Winter Wolf	2d6	Borrowed from AD&D
9	Winter Wolf	1d6	Borrowed from AD&D
10	Blizzard		Lasts 1d6 hours. Visibilty reduced to 30ft/10 yards, all creatures not wrapped up warm take 1 damage per hour. Deep snow creates difficult terrain (half movement)
11	Blizzard
12	Polar Bear	1
13	Ice Crevasse		Chasm in the ice, 2d6ft across, 1d10x10ft deep, 2d10x100 yards long. 30% chance to be hidden by snow cover. Treat as pit trap
14	Cold Snap	1d4	All creatures not immune to cold take 1d4 damage per hour, -1 damage if wearing warm clothing, lasts 1d6 hours
15	Mastodon/Mammoth	1d10	Roll 1d10: 1-6: Mastodon, 7-0 Mammoth. Mammoths have same stats but extra 2HD
16	Mastodon/Mammoth	1d10
17	Ice Toad	1d6	Borrowed from AD&D
18	Frost Giant	1d4
19	Frost Giant	2d6	Accompanied by Frost Giant Leader (stats here)
20	Ice Elemental	1	Roll 1d10: 1-6: 8HD, 7-9: 12HD, 0 : 16HD, stats as Earth Elemental

Image by Larry Elmore, source

Jagged Teeth Mountains are the mountains to the west of the Great Bay of Norwold. Note that this encounter table is suitable for other mountain ranges in Norwold such as the Ice Reach Range, Thundering Peaks and White Mountains. 

Dice Roll (1d12+1d8)	Jagged Teeth and other Mountains	No. Enc	Notes
2	Storm Giant	1
3	Stone Giant	1d4
4	Frost Giant	1d4
5	Ogre	3d6	Led by Ogre Leader (stats here)
6	Avalanche		All non-flying creatures in the area take 2d10 crushing damage and must save vs paralysis or be buried under snow and suffocate in 2d4 turns unless freed by another
7	Rock Fall		All non-flying creatures in the area take 3d10 crushing damage
8	Blizzard		Lasts 1d6 hours. Visibilty reduced to 30ft/10 yards, all creatures not wrapped up warm take 1 damage per hour. Deep snow creates difficult terrain (half movement)
9	Rainstorm		Lasts 1d6 hours. Everything is soaked. Spellbooks, flint & tinder and other items that must stay dry need special precautions
10	Orc	2d10
11	Herd Animal	2d10	Roll 1d10: 1-4 Chamois (1HD), 5-8 Ibex (2HD), 9-10 Yak (3HD)
12	Giant Goat	2d6	Stats here
13	Human/Demihuman	2d10	Roll 1d10: 1-3 Gnome, 4-6 Dwarf, 7-0 Human
14	Neanderthal	2d10
15	Cave Bear	1d4
16	Dire Wolf	2d6
17	Giant Eagle	1d6	Stats here
18	White Dragon	1d3
19	Red Dragon	1
20	Remorhaz	1	Borrowed from AD&D