Every seasoned player of D&D knows that monsters, in great supply, inhabit the wilderness and that one must cross wilderness to enter any respectable dungeon set up by the Judge. . .but, is that all there is to see in a wilderness? In my world, Monsters are somewhat far apart (any guesses how many hexes are necessary to feed an adult Dragon regularly? About 30) and much of what is now uninhabited land was once densely populated and signs of habitation still persist. It is reasonable to assume that adventurers would also notice Terrain features like Caves (hiding, or possible ore sites), Lakes (water) and abandoned Mines, on general principles even when such are too small to appear on the Judge’s maps. Because a wilderness composed solely of monsters and rare dungeons became boring for both players and myself as Judge, I evolved the following chart to provide some variety to the world. Selected parts of this chart went towards the Miscellaneous Terrain determinations that go with the Nidevellir Map Sheets.

In actual play, since I don’t use the Map Sheet information and did not have it available during most of the time I ran my campaign, I gave a 15% chance per hex traveled through of having a random monster, as deter-mined on the Wandering Monster Chart affixed to the Map Sheets and a 40% chance of something from this list appearing. Monsters and Terrain features are mutually exclusive; however, the determination could vary between trips through the hex since most often I did not copy down the table result - this would simulate crossing a hex (25 square miles) at different paths, some of which would miss the sights seen on previous trips.

To use the table, roll 3 die: one d4 and two d10, using the d4 as a hundreds digit and the d10 as normal percentile die a number between 101 and 499 is obtained. Simply match up the rolled number with a table entry.

Not included in my version but also possible or desirable for individual Judges to add could be: Army Patrols, Surveyors, Miners/Loggers, River Boats/Rafts (as applicable), Adventurers, Cavemen, Stockades, Gullies or High Ridges, Nomad Tribes, Travelling Religious Officials, Travelling Nobility, Tinkers and Craftsmen, Companies of Actors/ Musicians, Walls (as per Great Wall of China or Adrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England) and Geysers. This is simply intended to show that my lists are not even close to exhausting all of the logical possibilities.

By using this list, or one based on it, your wildernesses may not be any more safe, but they also may not be as predictable either. This bit of local color can make a better, and more realistic game for everybody.