Snowy terrain
Cold, boreal ground stretches out here — snow-laden conifers or open frost-covered plains, breath fogging in the frigid air. The party is traversing this frozen terrain.
The location’s inhabitants
Cold-adapted beasts and predators roam here, either hunting, denning, or moving between territories. Entering their territory uninvited may provoke them to attack, otherwise they’ll flee or investigate players that seem non-threatening.
- Common: Brown Bears, Polar Bears, Saber-Toothed Tiger, Gnolls, Ogres, Winter Wolf
- Uncommon: Yeti, Manticore, Polar Serpent, Winter Wolf
- Dangerous: Troll, Werebear, Mammoth, Frost Giant
The Location’s possible encounters
Snowy terrain is often traversable, though deep snow and biting cold can slow the party down.
Roll a 1d4 to determine which encounter that follows:
- 1 - E1
- 2 - E2
- 3 - E3
- 4 - E4
E1. Difficult Terrain
Difficult terrain hinders the party, one may traverse it by overcoming a skill check. Simply going around is also an option by spending more time.
| Obstacle | Skill check |
|---|---|
| Deep snowdrift | DC 12 Strength Check |
| Icy ground | DC 12 Dexterity Check |
| Biting cold | DC 10 Constitution Check |
E2. Common Encounter
Beasts and tribes suited to the cold roam this stretch of frozen land.
Roll a 1d6 to determine the creature encountered and a 1d4 to determine what the creatures are currently doing:
- 1 - on alert
- 2 - wandering
- 3 - working
- 4 - resting
| Common Creature | Number of creatures |
|---|---|
| 1. Brown Bears | 1d4+1 (2–5) |
| 2. Polar Bears | 1d3 (1–3) |
| 3. Saber-Toothed Tiger | 1d3 (1–3) |
| 4. Gnolls | 2d4 (2–8) |
| 5. Ogres | 1d3 (1–3) |
| 6. Winter Wolf | 1d4+1 (2–5) |
E3. Uncommon Encounter
Creatures that have fully mastered the frozen wastes are harder to come by. They pose a bigger challenge.
Roll a 1d4 to determine the creature encountered and a 1d4 to determine what the creatures are currently doing:
- 1 - on alert
- 2 - wandering
- 3 - working
- 4 - resting
| Uncommon creature | Number of creatures |
|---|---|
| 1. Yeti | 1d2 (1–2) |
| 2. Manticore | 1d2 (1-2) |
| 3. Polar Serpent | 1d2 (1-2) |
| 4. Winter Wolf | 1d8 + 3 (4-11) |
E4. Dangerous Encounter
These creatures are actively avoided by everything else in the frost — apex predators or things far older than the ice around them.
Roll a 1d4 to determine the creature encountered and a 1d4 to determine what the creatures are currently doing:
- 1 - on alert
- 2 - wandering
- 3 - working
- 4 - resting
| Dangerous creature | Number of Creatures |
|---|---|
| 1. Troll | 1 |
| 2. Werebear | 1 |
| 3. Mammoth | 1 |
| 4. Frost Giant | 1 |
Aftermath
The party may loot the creature’s belongings if they have any. Parts of the creatures may be claimed as a trophy or collected as material for artisans.
After overcoming the encounter the party may continue on deciding their next move.