D100 D&D River Encounters for 5e +

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D100 DND River Encounters

1. The dead body of an old man is floating in the river. There is a note in his hand saying ‘Help me.’ If players help him, he will turn into a water elemental and attack them.
2. An army of insects is living under the water, and it’s not clear whether they are animal, vegetable, or mineral. They are attacking anyone who dares to set foot into the water.
3. A group of men and women are trying to swim across the river. If players help them, they will become the players’ allies and assist them in their quest.
4. A group of men and women are trying to swim across the river. If players help them, they will become the players’ enemies and attack them once they are done swimming across the river.
5. A man named Harry is trying to sell a potion that he claims will let players breathe underwater. It doesn’t work, but players won’t know that until they try it and suffocate.
6. A group of children are playing in the water. They are throwing rocks at a giant turtle that is swimming in the water. The turtle is getting angry and will attack if players don’t stop the children from throwing rocks at it.
7. A group of men and women are raiding a tomb that is submerged under the water. If players go near the tomb, the raiders will attack them.
8. The water has turned black and is emitting a foul stench. A nearby village is under attack from a group of kobolds who have been transformed into lizard men by a mad wizard. Players can help the villagers by defeating the lizard men, or they can steal from the village since it’s under attack.
9. The water has turned black and is emitting a foul stench. A nearby village is under attack from a group of kobolds who have been transformed into lizard men by a mad wizard. Players can help the villagers by defeating the lizard men, or they can steal from the village since it’s under attack.
10. A group of men and women are running from an enraged dragon that is chasing them across the water. If players help them, they will become the players’ allies and assist them in their quest.
11. The party sees a pair of male elves. They are fishing. If players talk to them, the elves will tell them that they are looking for a lost necklace. If the party helps them find the necklace, the elves will give the party their most valuable possession.
12. A group of thieves are practicing their skills on an old, abandoned raft. They are very good and will attempt to steal from the players.
13. The party sees a group of male dwarves. They are drinking and celebrating their latest mining expedition.
14. Up ahead, the party sees a group of male dwarves. They are arguing about which direction to go next.
15. A group of female elves are walking down the riverbank, looking for herbs and plants to harvest and use in their medicines.
16. The party sees a group of male dwarves carrying a massive statue of their god. They are traveling to a nearby city so they can place it in a temple dedicated to their god.
17. The party sees a group of female elves who are singing and dancing along the riverbank. If players approach them, they will stop and ask them to join in. They will give each player a small gift if they do.
18. A group of farmers are riding horses while they plant crops in the fields near the riverbank.
19. A group of female dwarves are washing clothes in the river while they sing songs about their beloved king and his many conquests.
20. The party sees a group of men who are carrying a huge chest full of gold coins to a nearby city so they can buy land, build a home, and start a family.
21. A group of three old men are fishing in a small boat. They are hoping to catch some fish to eat.
22. An old man is fishing in a small boat. He is hoping to catch some fish to eat. He has a large fish on the hook, but it is so big, he cannot reel it in. He asks the players for help. If they help him, he will give them his fishing pole as a gift.
23. A group of children are playing in the water. They are making a dam to stop the water from flowing.
24. A group of men are drinking in a small rowboat. They are trying to get drunk.
25. Two men are fishing in a small rowboat. They are hoping to catch some fish to eat.
26. Two men are fishing in a small rowboat. They are hoping to catch some fish to sell for money.
27. A group of four men are fishing in a small rowboat. They are hoping to catch some fish to sell for money.
28. A man is fishing in a small rowboat. He is hoping to catch some fish to sell for money.
29. A man is fishing in a small rowboat. He is hoping to catch some fish to eat.
30. A group of three men are fishing in a small rowboat. They are hoping to catch some fish to eat.

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31. Players see a group of people celebrating a festival on the shore. It’s the Festival of the Fire Goddess, and the players can join in. There will be singing and dancing.
32. Players see a group of people praying near a statue of the Goddess of the Harvest. The statue has blood upon it, and worshippers are offering sacrifices of freshly-slaughtered animals.
33. Players see a man and a woman standing on the shore. The man is trying to convince the woman to come with him. She doesn’t want to. The man keeps saying, ‘I’m a good man.’
34. Players see a man standing on the shore, weeping. He is holding a portrait of a woman in his hands, and he is saying, ‘I love you.’
35. Players see a group of people standing on the shore, holding their hands up to the sky. They are praying for rain.
36. Players see a group of people standing on the shore, holding their hands up to the sky. They are praying for clear skies and sunshine.
37. Players see a group of people praying near a statue of the Goddess of Luck. The statue has blood upon it, and worshippers are offering sacrifices of freshly-slaughtered animals.
38. Players see three men arguing near a campfire. One man says, ‘I’m telling you, it’s true! I saw it with my own eyes!’ The second man says, ‘You’re crazy! That’s not true!’ The third man says, ‘Shut up! Both of you! Stop arguing! I’m trying to sleep!’
39. Players see a group of people huddled around a campfire, telling stories about goblins. They are saying, ‘You remember that time when we were travelling through Goblin Pass? And there were all those goblins? And that goblin king? And that goblin who had that knife with the funny looking blade? And the goblin who wore that funny hat? And the other goblins?’
40. Players see two men arguing about whether or not it’s safe to travel through Goblin Pass. One man says, ‘It’s not safe! The goblins will kill you!’ The other man says, ‘Nah, it’s not that bad. I’ve travelled through there before.’
41. Players are stopped by a group of 3d6+2 Waterdizards. They demand that the players give them all their valuables.
42. Players are stopped by a group of 3d6+3 Waterdancers. They demand that the players give them all their valuables. They also demand that the players dance with them. If they refuse, the Waterdancers attack. They have a DC 15 Perform (dance) check.
43. Players are stopped by a group of 3d6+2 Waterknights. They demand that the players give them all their valuables and surrender to them.
44. Players are stopped by a group of 3d6+3 Waterknights and 3d6+3 Waterknights on horses. They demand that the players give them all their valuables and surrender to them.
45. A horse is running down the river. It is being chased by 2d6 wolves. The wolves will continue to attack the horse until it falls in or gets away.
46. A merchant ship approaches on the river and offers to sell the party some rare goods for cheap prices. The merchant is actually trying to steal from the party while they aren’t looking.
47. A merchant ship approaches on the river and offers to sell the party some rare goods for expensive prices. The merchant is actually trying to steal from the party while they aren’t looking.
48. A merchant ship approaches on the river and offers to sell the party some rare goods at average prices. The merchant is actually trying to steal from the party while they aren’t looking.
49. A group of 3d6+6 guardsmen pass by, headed to a nearby city to help with an upcoming battle there.
50. A group of 2d6 farmers are traveling down the river, transporting their crops to market in a nearby city.

51. The party comes across a group of merchants. They are transporting their wares across the river in a large barge. If the party asks, the merchants will tell them that they are transporting food. The merchants are actually transporting gold to a nearby city.
52. A merchant is transporting his wares across the river in a small barge. If the party asks, he will tell them that he is transporting food. The merchant is actually transporting gold to a nearby city.
53. A group of men are fishing in the river. They will spot the party and ask them if they want to fish in the river. The men are all in league with a local crime boss. They will try to trick the party into fishing in an area that is known to be unsafe. They will charge the party extra for the service. The men are not all in league with each other and will start fighting each other if they think they are getting cheated out of their cut of the gold.
54. A group of halflings are fishing in the river. They will spot the party and ask them if they want to fish in the river. The halflings are all in league with a local crime boss. If the party says no, they will try to force them to fish in the water by shooting arrows at them.
55. A flash flood has swept away a small bridge. A party of six dwarves are stranded on the other side of the bridge and are hungry and thirsty. If the party does not help, they will attempt to steal from the party and leave.
56. A party of 2d8 dwarves are stranded on the other side of the river and are tired and hungry. If the party does not help, they will attempt to steal from the party and leave.
57. A party of four half-orcs are hunting in the woods. They are looking for game to feed to their tribe at home. The party sees a deer and shoots it with an arrow, killing it instantly. The half-orcs will yell at them and chase them back to their camp where they will be forced to work as slaves until they can escape by killing the half-orcs.
58. A group of men are fishing in the river. They will spot the party and ask them if they want to fish in the river. The men are all in league with a local crime boss. If the party says no, they will try to force them to fish in the water by shooting arrows at them.
59. A flash flood has swept away one of the smaller bridges that crosses the river and caused it to collapse into the water below. If the party does not repair it quickly, other flash floods will come through and cause the river to rise even higher and wash out several bridges and cause several deaths downstream from your party’s location.
60. The party sees a group of men rowing a ship down the river. They are singing a drinking song.
61. The party sees a group of women rowing a ship down the river. They are singing a love song.
62. A group of children are throwing rocks into the river. They are trying to hit a duck that is swimming in the water.
63. A group of women are washing clothes in the river. They are using rocks as their laundry stones.
64. The party sees a group of men fishing in the river. They are using long rods and are sitting in chairs that they have placed in the water on the backs of their boats.
65. The party sees a group of elves fishing in the river. They are using long rods and are standing on the shore of the river, casting their lines from the land into the water.
66. The party sees a group of halflings fishing in the river. They are using long poles with hooks on the ends and are standing on the shore of the river, casting their lines from the land into the water.
67. A man is sitting on the shore of the river, painting a picture of the scene in front of him. He is using a rock as his paint board, and he is using his legs as his paint board holder.
68. The party sees a group of children who have built a dam made out of branches and leaves in the river, and they are trying to catch fish in their little trap.
69. A group of men are rowing a boat down the river, singing a drinking song.
70. Players hear the sound of a woman singing a sad song. If they investigate, they will find a woman sitting on the riverbank, weeping. She is the spirit of a maiden who was killed by a band of orcs while she was traveling with her lover. Her spirit has been trapped here ever since.
71. The players hear the sound of a man laughing maniacally. If they investigate, they will find a group of orcs sitting around a campfire, celebrating their latest kill – a human male who was traveling with his lover, who was killed by the orcs.
72. The players hear the sound of someone singing a merry song. If they investigate, they will find a group of dwarves sitting around a campfire, singing and drinking. They are on their way to the mountains, where they will mine for ore and precious gems.
73. The players hear the sound of someone wailing in sorrow. If they investigate, they will find a group of humans sitting around a campfire, wailing in sorrow. Their village was raided by a group of goblins, who stole all their food and supplies.
74. The players hear the sound of someone sobbing uncontrollably. If they investigate, they will find a man sitting on the riverbank, sobbing uncontrollably. His sister was killed by orcs while she was traveling to a nearby village to buy food for the village. His sister’s spirit has been trapped here ever since.

75. The players hear the sound of people talking in a foreign language. If they investigate, they will find a group of humans sitting around a campfire, talking in a foreign language. They are on their way to a nearby village, where they will sell their goods to the villagers.
76. The players hear the sound of people talking in an odd dialect of their native language. If they investigate, they will find a group of halflings sitting around a campfire, talking in an odd dialect of their native language. They are on their way to a nearby village, where they will sell their goods to the villagers.
77. Players hear the sound of 2 people arguing with each other. If they investigate, they will find 2 male humans who are arguing with each other over something trivial.
78. The players hear the sound of someone singing an odd song in an odd dialect of their native language. If they investigate, they will find a group of humans who are singing an odd song in an odd dialect of their native language. They are traveling to a nearby village, where they will sell their goods to the villagers.
79. Players hear the sound of someone laughing maniacally. If they investigate, they will find a group of goblins who are sitting around a campfire, celebrating their latest kill – a human male who was traveling to a nearby village to buy food for his village.
80. The party hears a growl from the hills. A wild dog will attack them.
81. Players see a group of farmers gathering supplies. They are leaving because of the attacks on the village.
82. The party hears a man calling for help. If they investigate, they will find a farmer being attacked by 2d6 wolves.
83. Players see a group of farmers gathering supplies. They are leaving because of the attacks on the village.
84. The party sees a man walking down the road. He is very nervous, and looks as though he has been traveling for days. If questioned, he will say that he has been traveling for days and his name is Henry Jamison. He is actually a bandit named Harry Jamison, but he has been traveling for days and is hungry and thirsty and very nervous because he has been traveling for days and will attempt to fool the party if they do not attack him on sight like they should because he’s a bandit and also very nervous.
85. A small group of 3d6 men are walking down the road, talking about the recent attacks, saying that they can’t believe that the town has been attacked again so soon. If questioned, they will say that they are heading to another village because they don’t want to live in a village that is constantly being raided.
86. A small group of 2d6 elves are walking down the road, talking about the recent attacks. If questioned, they will say that they are heading to see the king to make sure something is done about the bandit probhlem.
87. The party hears an owl hooting in the distance.
88. The party sees a small group of human nomads on horseback riding away from them, taking their horses to a safe distance and then turning around and riding back toward them again. The nomads ride in this pattern for several hours until nightfall, then retreat into their camp nearby and wait until morning before continuing their patrol of the area.
89. Players see a party of 2d6+2 men led by a man named Samuel Blackbeard. They are riding horses and heading to another village to ask for aid against the attacks on their village.
90. A group of children are skipping rocks on the water. They will tell the players that they are practicing for a local festival where they will have to skip rocks across the water to get a prize.
91. A group of drunk dwarves are stumbling down the road. They are singing about gold and their latest mining expedition. They will stop players and tell them that they just returned from a long mining trip and they have a lot of gold to trade or sell.
92. A group of traveling merchants are selling fish to the villagers along the riverbank. They will tell players that they just caught the fish and they are fresh.
93. A group of dwarves are arguing about how they were swindled by a merchant who sold them bad ale. They will offer players a free sample of their bad ale.
94. A group of elves are hunting a deer. They will hide and ask players to stay quiet and not move while they hunt the deer.
95. A group of elves are fishing in the river and they are catching a lot of fish. They will offer players some fish if they want any.
96. A group of villagers is gathered around a fire pit and they are telling stories about a demon that lives in the nearby hills. They say he is a giant demon who roars like thunder and he is always hungry. They say he devours anyone who trespasses in his territory and he will one day devour the village if something isn’t done about him soon.
97. A group of villagers is gathered around a fire pit and they are telling stories about a dragon that lives in the nearby hills. They say it’s a red dragon and it has been terrorizing the villages for years. They say it’s been getting bigger and bigger every year and one day it will attack the village and destroy it unless something is done about it soon.
98. A group of travelling bards are performing a play about a hero who slays a dragon and saves a princess from being eaten by the dragon.
99. A group of men are fishing in the river and they are catching plenty of fish.
100. The river dried up, and nobody knows why!