Don’t forget to add valkyries and black holes…
It feels like sooner or later the adventurers end up traveling between planes, either due to a magical trap, an angry wizard or a long lost portal deep in a dungeon. Regardless of why your PCs happen to be in an astral plane, you’ll need some interesting and unique encounters!
Good astral plane encounters can be extra hard to figure out, simply because our reality doesn’t share many similarites with the astral planes of your everyday fantasy world. Forest encounters are easy to come up with, just think about what you could encounter on a stroll through your nearby forest, and then crank them up a bit. These astral ones however, they are a different beast. But don’t, that’s exactly why I’ve put together this list (and all our other lists and tables), to make your life as a GM easier and less stressful.
These encounters should work well whether you play D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Shadowdark, or Adventurous, maybe you need some light tweaking, but nothing major.
D66 Astral plane encounters
What would a trip to an astral plane be without spectral ships, wandering black holes and soul-eaters? No fun at all I guess. Below is a D66 table of fun, unique and challenging encounters to throw at your players when they inevitably travel to the astral plane. Just roll 2D6 where one determines the tens digit and the other the ones digit.
| D66 Roll | Encounter Description |
|---|---|
| 11 | A rogue comet streaking across the astral plane, threatening to collide with travelers. |
| 12 | A cluster of astral jellyfish, beautiful but with a paralyzing sting. |
| 13 | An astral drifter, a lost soul seeking help to find their way back to their physical body. |
| 14 | A wandering astral dragon, curious about the adventurers and potentially hostile. |
| 15 | A field of psychic resonance that causes vivid hallucinations of past events. |
| 16 | A group of Githyanki pirates raiding astral travelers. |
| 21 | An astral storm, a chaotic swirl of energy requiring skilled navigation to avoid harm. |
| 22 | A floating island of solid thought, home to a wise but reclusive mind mage. |
| 23 | A band of celestial travelers on a sacred pilgrimage, willing to share astral navigation tips. |
| 24 | A rift leading to a random dimension, with unknown dangers and opportunities. |
| 25 | An astral mirage, an illusory oasis that can trap the unwary in a dream-like state. |
| 26 | A silver cord snare set by astral hunters, potentially trapping one's astral form. |
| 31 | A peaceful enclave of Monodrones from Mechanus, offering repairs and technical assistance. |
| 32 | A wandering soul-eater, hunting for astral travelers to consume their essence. |
| 33 | A floating astral bazaar, where various ethereal goods and information can be traded. |
| 34 | A psychic echo, replaying a dramatic event from another time and place. |
| 35 | A squadron of Valkyries pursuing a dishonored spirit trying to hide among the adventurers. |
| 36 | A lost astral library containing ancient cosmic knowledge, but guarded by spectral librarians. |
| 41 | An astral whirlpool, drawing in travelers to an unknown destination. |
| 42 | A spectral ship helmed by a ghostly crew, searching for redemption or revenge. |
| 43 | An enigmatic Sphinx challenging travelers with riddles and offering guidance for correct answers. |
| 44 | A stranded deity, temporarily weakened and seeking assistance to regain power. |
| 45 | A star nursery, a rare celestial phenomenon with rejuvenating properties. |
| 46 | A void zone, a region of absolute nothingness that can erase anything from existence. |
| 51 | An astral fortress, home to a powerful psychic entity that may be hostile or benevolent. |
| 52 | A singularity point, where the laws of physics and magic behave unpredictably. |
| 53 | A group of astral nomads, willing to exchange stories and guidance for supplies. |
| 54 | A cosmic observatory, run by an eccentric seer who can offer glimpses into possible futures. |
| 55 | A wandering black hole, a mobile hazard that can trap and compress anything in its path. |
| 56 | A field of crystalline structures that resonate with harmonious, mind-calming tones. |
| 61 | A bizarre, gravity-defying maze constructed by an unknown ancient civilization. |
| 62 | An ethereal serpent, massive in size and capable of devouring astral forms whole. |
| 63 | A cosmic garden of otherworldly flora, some with healing properties and others with toxic effects. |
| 64 | A congregation of lost souls forming a temporary settlement, seeking help to move on. |
| 65 | An astral anomaly that reverses magical effects within its vicinity. |
| 66 | The manifestation of a powerful cosmic entity, offering knowledge in exchange for a service. |
Closing thoughts on these astral plane encounters
I hope that these squadrons of Valkyries, astral bazaars and Githyanki pirates will add a good dose of astral flavor to your game, and that you and your players will have a great time exploring the astral plane of your world!
If you like this table, don’t forget to check out our D66 Desert encounters, 10 Lightning themed magic items and of course, our massive guide to Improvising as a DM.
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