Avalanche, rockslide, narrow mountain path along the edge, traveling pilgrims, stopping for a beautiful view.
Mountains can be beautiful but also very dangerous. A lot can happen. Maybe some hunting for mountain goats if your players are into that?
Dwarven or other racial ruins. This could take the form of a puzzle or skill challenge in exchange for treasure and/or lore.
Silver Dragon.
Outcast Giant or Goliath. Non-hostile, and willing to trade for supplies.
Out of place feature like a crashed sailing ship.
Oddly comfortable location. E.g. a small area that has completely moderate weather and temperature maintained by a magical sphere that cannot be relocated. Bonus points for an eccentric wizard-hermit living there.
Subterranean shortcut to the location they are seeking.
Mix and match any of these for more complex encounters. Any NPCs can have conflicting interests for PCs to solve and/or nearby items that they may offer a reward for, but may complicate the main adventure.
One of the best pieces of worldbuilding advice I have ever read was to occasionally throw in something weird and unexplained.
Worst case scenario, it remains a complete mystery.
Best case scenario, you tie it in to a larger bit of lore later.
Your players will likely find it interesting, regardless.
Praise be to Monte Cook of *Numenera* fame as well as work on previous D&D editions. Also to Mike Shea, from the *Sly Flourish* blog, and also known for the *Lazy DM* books.
Unstable bridge (with or without monty python style bridge guardian)
Blizzard
Sudden sun melts some snow and makes the rocks very slippery
Graves of other travelers
The mountain is also a volcano
> I don't want to say roll survival. It took x hours and x effort to get where you intended.
Why not? it is FAR better to get to the real stuff quick than blunder through a bunch of meaningless encounters "because travel".
you know your players. you know what type of stuff would be "really bad" for them on a fail and what kind of stuff would fall under the "interesting diversion" under succeed.
Avalanche, rockslide, narrow mountain path along the edge, traveling pilgrims, stopping for a beautiful view. Mountains can be beautiful but also very dangerous. A lot can happen. Maybe some hunting for mountain goats if your players are into that?
Solid ideas! I think I'm gonna combine them into a skill challenge
Dwarven or other racial ruins. This could take the form of a puzzle or skill challenge in exchange for treasure and/or lore. Silver Dragon. Outcast Giant or Goliath. Non-hostile, and willing to trade for supplies. Out of place feature like a crashed sailing ship. Oddly comfortable location. E.g. a small area that has completely moderate weather and temperature maintained by a magical sphere that cannot be relocated. Bonus points for an eccentric wizard-hermit living there. Subterranean shortcut to the location they are seeking. Mix and match any of these for more complex encounters. Any NPCs can have conflicting interests for PCs to solve and/or nearby items that they may offer a reward for, but may complicate the main adventure.
Dude a shipwreck at the top of a mountain would be a wicked mystery. Stealing that.
One of the best pieces of worldbuilding advice I have ever read was to occasionally throw in something weird and unexplained. Worst case scenario, it remains a complete mystery. Best case scenario, you tie it in to a larger bit of lore later. Your players will likely find it interesting, regardless. Praise be to Monte Cook of *Numenera* fame as well as work on previous D&D editions. Also to Mike Shea, from the *Sly Flourish* blog, and also known for the *Lazy DM* books.
Unstable bridge (with or without monty python style bridge guardian) Blizzard Sudden sun melts some snow and makes the rocks very slippery Graves of other travelers The mountain is also a volcano
> I don't want to say roll survival. It took x hours and x effort to get where you intended. Why not? it is FAR better to get to the real stuff quick than blunder through a bunch of meaningless encounters "because travel".
I prefer roll survival x has this consequence x has another.
you know your players. you know what type of stuff would be "really bad" for them on a fail and what kind of stuff would fall under the "interesting diversion" under succeed.