Encounters: ICE SEA / OPEN PACK ICE (SEAWARD)
Applies to: Pack ice, drifting floes, frozen bays, ice-choked shipping lanes
Roll: 1d100
Expected HD Range: 2–8+ HD
Primary Source: Gods of the Forbidden North
Secondary Source: Old-School Essentials
Key Themes: isolation, movement hazards, predators beneath ice, slow death far from land
This table assumes boats, sleds, or ice travel. Many encounters change meaning depending on whether the PCs are on foot, sled, or vessel.
d100 Encounter Table
d100 | Encounter (explicit numbers & rules) | Stats / HD | Source |
01–03 | Shifting pack ice; navigation slowed, encounter distance halved | Hazard | OSE |
04–05 | Open lead of black water blocks route (detour or risk plunge) | Hazard | OSE |
06–07 | Ice groans and fractures (morale check for animals/hirelings) | Omen | Referee |
08–09 | Drifting floe collision; Dex save or knocked prone | Hazard | OSE |
10–11 | Seal breathing holes; signs of predators below | Sign | Referee |
12–13 | Abandoned ice camp, half-buried | Terrain | Referee |
14–15 | Sudden sea fog over ice (visibility 10–20 ft) | Weather | OSE |
16–17 | Snow goblin scouts (1d6) on sleds | Snow Goblin | GFN |
18–19 | Beastmen hunters (1d4 Beastmen [Gnolls]) tracking seals | Gnoll | OSE |
20–21 | Cult observers (1d4 Dervishes) recording ice movement | Dervish | OSE |
22–23 | Frozen wreck trapped in pack ice | Terrain | Referee |
24–25 | Ice collapse under weight (save vs Paralysis or plunge) | Hazard | OSE |
26–27 | Giant leeches (2d6) in slush-filled leads | Giant Leech | OSE |
28–29 | Wolves (2d6) ranging far out on ice | Wolf | OSE |
30–31 | Dire wolves (1d3) shadowing party at distance | Dire Wolf | OSE |
32–33 | Ice mephits (1d4) harassing travelers | Ice Mephit | OSE |
34–35 | Polar bear (1, 6 HD) stalking seals | Polar Bear | OSE |
36–37 | Giant beaver (1) maintaining ice dam around wreck | Giant Beaver | GFN |
38–39 | Frozen corpse emerging from ice (gear intact, risky to retrieve) | Terrain | Referee |
40–41 | Will-o-wisps (1d3) drifting low over ice | Will-o-Wisp | OSE |
42–43 | Taiga wights (1d4) bound to drowned sailors | Taiga Wight | GFN |
44–45 | Sudden ice storm; travel halted 1d4 turns | Weather | OSE |
46–47 | Ankheg (1, 3 HD) bursting from ice shelf | Ankheg | OSE |
48–49 | Ice shelf shears away; retreat or leap required | Hazard | OSE |
50–51 | Cult ritual site carved into ice: 1d4 Dervishes, 1d6 Beastmen | Mixed | OSE |
52–53 | Tundra trolls (1d3) hauling prey across ice | Tundra Troll | GFN |
54–55 | Black widows (1d3) nesting in ice caverns | Black Widow | GFN |
56–57 | Graven wolf (1) pacing silently across floes | Graven Wolf | GFN |
58–59 | Iceberg golem, lesser (1, 4 HD) drifting with pack | Iceberg Golem | GFN |
60–61 | Warp beasts (1d3) emerging from pressure ridges | Warp Beast | GFN |
62–63 | Saber-toothed tiger (1 Titherion) far from land | Titherion | GFN |
64–65 | Ice ridge collapse; 3d6 damage, buried on fail | Hazard | OSE |
66–67 | Black unicorn (1) standing on unbroken ice | Black Unicorn | GFN |
68–69 | Fellfrost wyvern (1) hunting over floes | Fellfrost Wyvern | GFN |
70–71 | Frost giant scout (1) hauling seals | Frost Giant | OSE |
72–73 | Taiga dragon (1) circling high above ice | Taiga Dragon | GFN |
74–75 | Iceberg golem (1, greater) drifting silently | Iceberg Golem | GFN |
76–77 | Warband on ice (Snow Goblins or Beastmen, 30–60 visible) | Army-scale | Referee |
78–79 | Named ice horror bound to this floe | Unique | Referee |
80–81 | Massive ice calving event splits region | Event | Referee |
82–83 | Entire ice field begins drifting; navigation crisis | Event | Referee |
84–85 | Pack ice closes behind party; retreat cut off | Event | Referee |
86–87 | Polar bear matriarch (1, 7+ HD) with cubs | Polar Bear (advanced) | OSE |
88–89 | Distant lights moving beneath ice | Omen | Referee |
90–91 | Ice fractures propagate for miles | Event | Referee |
92–93 | Bleed from adjacent region (Glacier, Coast, Open Sea) | — | GFN |
94–95 | Escalated encounter; reroll and double numbers | — | Referee |
96–99 | Ice becomes impassable; forced rescue or loss | Event | Referee |
100 | Campaign-level ice sea catastrophe | — | Referee |