Mountain campaign - need encounter ideas!

[Veneficus the Great]

My PC's are soon to go on a long mountain campaign. They are on a "diplomatic" mission to discover a new and unknown rase in one of the mountains, Rhonians (Mythic Rases).

I have some "encounters" ready, but I would like some more ideas! I think I need some low-level mountain encounters.

They are going to meet a gnome family. They have some special mechanical beasts who could interest the PC's, but most imortant, they have talked with the unknown rase.

The players are also going to meet a copper dragon who have lost his baby to a tribe of dragonkins (Monsters of Faerun).

Any ideas?

-Veneficus the mountain dweller

 

[MerakSpielman]

Have them get caught in a sudden storm, and then find a convenient dry cave. During the night, goblins come out of a secret door behind them and kidnap them, accusing them of trespassing on their doorstep.

Ok, seriously, inclement weather could really spice up any encounters (did they remember to spend money on winter clothing before they left?), as could narrow passes/ledges and deep snow. Perhaps the trail is out? Hippogriff hunting grounds? Ambushes are great. Xorn, earth elementals, or some other creatures that can move through stone without leaving a tunnel could make for interesting encounters, especially if they flee back into the mountainside when they get low on hp (instead of fighting to the death) and keep harassing the PCs day after day...

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Maybe they could find a flat surface (finally, after all this time!). If they cross it they discover it is a small frozen lake with ice mephits!

Also, don't forget to make them roll climb checks survival checks, etc. If they blow a check, have them take d4 damage from something or another.

Oh. And bears. Don't forget bears. Dire ones if the party can handle it.

 

[LondonReign]

Some possibilities

My PC's are soon to go on a long mountain campaign. They are on a "diplomatic" mission to discover a new and unknown rase in one of the mountains, Rhonians (Mythic Rases).

I have some "encounters" ready, but I would like some more ideas! I think I need some low-level mountain encounters.

They are going to meet a gnome family. They have some special mechanical beasts who could interest the PC's, but most imortant, they have talked with the unknown rase.

The players are also going to meet a copper dragon who have lost his baby to a tribe of dragonkins (Monsters of Faerun).

Any ideas?


-Veneficus the mountain dweller

Displacer beast variants (tawny colored like mountain lions)
Slyphs
Gray Ooze
Giant sparrow riding goblins
Oread
Ad ruid specializing in mountainour terrain

 

[Ferox4]

Glaciers cab be fun - crevasses, Balance Checks (or Reflex) to avoid falling down during combat, polar worms or frost worms (the ones that explode when they die!) - I ran an encounter w/ a Frost Giant Cleric mounted on one of these - it was a blast!

Finding a few frozen corpses in a cave or in a crevasse, a rope that is spiked into the glacier that dangles down into the darkness of a deep crevasse can serve as both mystery and/or discovery about this "new" race.

Nomadic clans of (insert race) that each have their own animal totems (think Clan of the Cave Bear). These barbarians have animal companions - bears, snow cats, et cetera. They can be competing for resources in a harsh environment, or allying with one another to fight against another clan or possibly this new race.

Just some quick thoughts

 

[Taelorn76]

You could have them deal with a rock slide or avalanche.

 

[humble minion]

Wendigos. Packs of them. Some of them are dire wolf wendigoes. Have them attack on narrow mountain ledges, Even if beaten off, they hang around the party driving the party slowly mad, and making them use all their spells on fighting off the wendigo transformation disease...

 

[Whisper72]

A pass 'guarded' by a (or several) Trolls demanding tribute to go through unmolested. If the PC's pay up, let them pass without a fight... let the PC's stew on the fact they lost a ton of cash without giving them a real reason to attack the Trolls and get their stuff back.

A small tomb / shrine dug into the mountain. Maybe it is a tomb belonging to a member of this lost race, this way the PC's are already introduced a bit into their specific artwork / architecture and utensils. Could tie into the intro when they meet the lost race, that any items looted are recognized... The PC's will have to turn them over and make amends somehow (could be another adventure, and is a great way to hand out some powerful magic item for them to play around with, but 'legally' remove it from play once they meet up with the lost race).

When traveling through uncharted territory have them meet as yet unknown (i.e. made up) monsters and wild animals, or introduce monsters the PC's do not yet know of (from whatever supplements you have) as new beasts specific to this region.

Have the PC's find evidence of ANOTHER lost race which has been wiped out completely, i.e. the PC's only find old remains of trade routes, waystations, villages and a city and such.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Have a fun encounter!

Mountain Goat that trys to butt them from the side of the cliff. Full movement, charge attack while on a shear cliff!

Snakes - gaint snakes that feed on mountain goats.

Spiders - gaint spiders that feed on anything.

Roc -

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Since you want a low level encounter, how about a couple of hill or stone giant children (use ogre stats?) that see the party and start tossing rocks across a ravine at them? They are too far away to come into melee combat so it shouldn't be a deadly encounter (unless someone gets hit hard by a falling rock).