Random Encounters
Random encounters have gotten a bad name in recent years, and mainly that’s because they have not evolved past a simple chart of monsters to be fought. Presented below is a chart of random encounters that I came up with for my next homebrew campaign. Not intended to be the meat of any session, they are more like a quick spice I can throw in when the characters travel from place to place.
The categories and encounters in this list create flavor more than anything: they each allow me to present details that build the themes I want to emphasize in my game. For example, the lands where the game takes place in have been ravaged by war for 40 years, so battlefields and refugees help me reinforce that theme to the players.
Feel free to borrow it and modify it as you like to add a little flavor to your games!
some ancient thing
- -skeleton or skull or creature(s)
- -shrine or roadside statue
- -battlefield
- -ruined village / town
caravan or merchants
- -lone farmer(s)
- -long distance caravan (with guards)
- -pilgrims
- -refugees
- -wedding / funeral / festival procession
- beggars, plague victims and horribly maimed veterans of conflicts begging for alms
bandits
- -local
- -roaming
other
- -party of adventurers (only up to 9th? level)
- -typical random encounter (monstrous)
tiny communities
- -farming / fishing / herding community
- -fey community (be careful!!!)
- -demi-human community (goblin etc)
local fauna
- -wild animals (after parties animals? will not fight to the death: at half HP will run away)
- -pack of starving wolves
- -bear and cub
- -puma / mountain lion, will stalk party and attack one of them (or a mount) when they are alone.
- -domestic animals
Posted in Encounter by Adam A. Thompson with 1 comment.
Curse of the Beast
Warlock (Fey) Attack 13
With a magic word and gesture, your foe is transformed into a bleating sheep. “Bah! I thought you’d be a tougher foe than that!” you exclaim.
Encounter <> Arcane, Polymorph, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 10
Attack: Charisma vs Will
Hit: The foe is turned into a harmless animal of your choosing that is native to the area (save ends). This transformation does not alter the target’s stats in any way, except that they can fly or swim as appropriate to their new form. While transformed, the target cannot make standard actions or activate any powers: they only actions they can take are map moves.
Upon three failed saves this effect becomes permanent and must be removed by Remove Affliction or similar magic.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons and tagged warlock power level 13 by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Aldric Tréburne
Older brother of Kilmore Tréburne, Aldric stayed home to care for the ailing family while Kilmore went forth in search of adventure. Now that the family is stabilized, thanks to Avandra’s blessings, Aldric has now left home in search of his brother and his own adventure.
Along the way, he has met up with an eldarin war wizard and traveled from town to town, lending healing powers and fighting off brigands and ferocious wolves.
A playful, yet grounded, working-class elf, Aldric has developed many talents, though none that he pursues with more passion than his faith in Avandra, and healing in her name. he has been called too humorous for serious elven service, and too ill-mannered to ever represent his people abroad, so his only hope is in following his own dreams and desires.
He maintains his own gear, but is not too proud to ask for help in repairing or caring for it. His most prized possessions are a pair of ornate, buckled catgrace boots, a finely-carved shortbow +1 thunderburst, and his holy symbol of Faith to Avandra (+1d6 healing).
In addition, he wears a suit of chainmail with a small cape and carries an adventurer’s kit in a backpack.
Aldric in your game: Aldric tells a decent tale, and with his diplomacy will likely have learned some things about the local area. As a healer, he is likely to have learned much of the recent adventurers of others. Aldric could serve as an NPC in a party that did not have a player in the leader role. He would allow the DM to give the party some extra healing without having a character overly bent on seeing his own will done.
Aldric Tréburne: Level 3 Cleric of Avandra
medium fey humanoid – XP 2,690
age (equivalent of 28 in human years)
height 5’10”, weight 155, brown hair, green eyes
Initiative +1 Senses Perception +1
HP 35; Bloodied 12 Healing Surges: 9
AC 19, Fortitude 14, Reflex 15, Will 16
Speed 7
Powers
Channel Divinity:
* Healer’s Lore
* Healing Word (2/Encounter)
* Divine Fortune
* Turn Undead
Lance of Faith – (Standard; At-Will)
Sacred Flame – (Standard; At-Will)
Elven Accuracy – (Standard; Encounter)
Command – (Standard; Encounter)
Beacon of Hope – (Standard; Daily)
Shield of Faith – (Standard; Utility)
Basic Attacks
Short sword: +4 vs AC, 1d6 + 1 damage
Short Bow +1 thunderburst (40 arrows): +5 vs AC, 1d8 + 3 damage
Alignment Good
Languages Common, Elven
Skills: Athletics 4, Arcana 5, Athletics 3, Bluff 1, Diplomacy 6, Dungeoneering 2, Endurance 2, Heal 8, History 5, Insight 3, Intimidate 1, Nature 3, Perception 5, Religion 7, Stealth 4, Streetwise 1, Thievery 1
Feats: Elven Precision, Avandra’s Rescue
Str 12 Dex 15 Wis 16
Con 13 Int 11 Cha 14
Posted in Character by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Aldric Tréburne
Older brother of Kilmore Tréburne, Aldric stayed home to care for the ailing family while Kilmore went forth in search of adventure. Now that the family is stabilized, thanks to Avandra’s blessings, Aldric has now left home in search of his brother and his own adventure.
Along the way, he has met up with an eldarin war wizard and traveled from town to town, lending healing powers and fighting off brigands and ferocious wolves.
A playful, yet grounded, working-class elf, Aldric has developed many talents, though none that he pursues with more passion than his faith in Avandra, and healing in her name. he has been called too humorous for serious elven service, and too ill-mannered to ever represent his people abroad, so his only hope is in following his own dreams and desires.
He maintains his own gear, but is not too proud to ask for help in repairing or caring for it. His most prized possessions are a pair of ornate, buckled catgrace boots, a finely-carved shortbow +1 thunderburst, and his holy symbol of Faith to Avandra (+1d6 healing).
In addition, he wears a suit of chainmail with a small cape and carries an adventurer’s kit in a backpack.
Aldric in your game: Aldric tells a decent tale, and with his diplomacy will likely have learned some things about the local area. As a healer, he is likely to have learned much of the recent adventurers of others. Aldric could serve as an NPC in a party that did not have a player in the leader role. He would allow the DM to give the party some extra healing without having a character overly bent on seeing his own will done.
Aldric Tréburne: Level 3 Cleric of Avandra
medium fey humanoid – XP 2,690
age (equivalent of 28 in human years)
height 5’10”, weight 155, brown hair, green eyes
Initiative +1 Senses Perception +1
HP 35; Bloodied 12 Healing Surges: 9
AC 19, Fortitude 14, Reflex 15, Will 16
Speed 7
Powers
Channel Divinity:
* Healer’s Lore
* Healing Word (2/Encounter)
* Divine Fortune
* Turn Undead
Lance of Faith – (Standard; At-Will)
Sacred Flame – (Standard; At-Will)
Elven Accuracy – (Standard; Encounter)
Command – (Standard; Encounter)
Beacon of Hope – (Standard; Daily)
Shield of Faith – (Standard; Utility)
Basic Attacks
Short sword: +4 vs AC, 1d6 + 1 damage
Short Bow +1 thunderburst (40 arrows): +5 vs AC, 1d8 + 3 damage
Alignment Good
Languages Common, Elven
Skills: Athletics 4, Arcana 5, Athletics 3, Bluff 1, Diplomacy 6, Dungeoneering 2, Endurance 2, Heal 8, History 5, Insight 3, Intimidate 1, Nature 3, Perception 5, Religion 7, Stealth 4, Streetwise 1, Thievery 1
Feats: Elven Precision, Avandra’s Rescue
Str 12 Dex 15 Wis 16
Con 13 Int 11 Cha 14
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Character by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Galonadel Silma-ehta
A serious and morose elf, the tragedy of his family’s end hangs over him like a dark cloud. Noble and honorable, he is a great friend to those he has fought alongside, yet his sadness has made him cynical and hard.
His armor and weapons are kept in good condition, but he has left his blue hauberk, with his family’s silver star-tipped spear design, torn and cut just as is was when he was knocked out and left for dead on the battlefield of his family’s defeat.
Galonadel in your game: You could use Galonadel’s sad tale as the start of a quest, or a series of quests, to drive the Vagyr Beastmen from his lands in the Feywild. He could also serve as an NPC in a party that did not have a player in the leader role. He would allow the DM to give the party some extra healing without having a character that would take over the party.
Galonadel Silma-ehta: Level 1 Warlord
medium fey humanoid – XP 150
Initiative +0 Senses Perception +0
HP 24; Bloodied 12 Healing Surges: 8
AC 17, Fortitude 21, Reflex 19, Will 18
Speed 6
Powers
Viper’s Strike – (Standard; At-Will)
Wolf Pack Tactics – (Standard; At-Will)
Warlord’s Favor – (Standard; Encounter)
Lead the Attack – (Standard; Daily)
Inspiring Word – (Minor; Encounter x 2)
Fey Step (Minor; Encounter)
Basic Attacks
Longsword: +6 vs AC, 1d8 + 5 damage
Javelin: range 5/10, +5 vs AC, 1d6 + 5 damage
Alignment Unaligned
Languages Common, Elven
Skills: Diplomacy +7, Heal +5, History +10, Intimidate +7
Feats: Eladrin Soldier
Str 10 (+3) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 12 (+4)
Con 19 (+7) Int 11 (+3) Cha 15 (+5)
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Dream Plane
The Dream Plane is the space between the planes, the plane on which dreams take place, or, more precisely, the plane to which all dreamers are whisked upon sleep.
There are no native creatures on the Dream Plane, however, everyone spends time there at regular intervals. In a way, this is a way for beings to learn more about their true selves, allowing them to inhabit the projected form of another being for some time.
Everyone has another form on the Dream Plane. These tend to be projections that mirror the state of the being, either long-term or in the short term. For instance, paladins might be represented long-term as pegasi, but in the short term, as they are chased by a marauding horde of goblins and forced to flee, they may have a dream plane representation as a gazelle while pursued. The goblins might be represented as wolves or some other beast. If these beings were somehow transported to the dream plane, they would take on the characteristics of these forms. As a gazelle, the paladin would be able to run fast and leap over obstacles, the goblins as wolves would take on the hunting skills and trip attacks of wolves. If the paladin were to enter the dream plane as a pegasus, she would be able to fly, and so on.
Much like the Prime Material Plane, the Dream Plane is a battleground for the forces of good and evil. It is largely neutral, however certain areas tend toward good or evil.
The Dream Plane has the following traits.
* Subjective directional gravity.
* Subjective temporality. Age, hunger, thirst, poison, and natural healing function differently in the Dream Plane; certain dreams may play upon these human needs and have unexpected consequences.
* Strongly neutral-aligned, with pockets of mild good and evil where these forces have gained footholds.
Key Regions
Dreams – the core of the plane. This is where most visitors to the Dream Plane (and they are all visitors) spend their time.
Visions – where the future plays out in dream forms. Here characters may encounter future selves in altered forms or gain knowledge of upcoming events. The many islands of visions are set adrift upon the Seer Sea.
Memories – where the past plays out in dream forms. In this area, characters may relive certain events in their lives in altered forms. The fragmented islands of memories float upon the Forgotten Sea.
Deja Vu – A region where beings encounter events they feel have happened before.
Vuja De – A region where beings encounter events they know can never happen.
Everything else in the Dream Plane falls into the Region In-between, a void of an abyss of uncertainty. As the Dream Plane is a plane between the planes, there is not much to speak of in the Region In-between. Let all adventurers be warned – do not go there. This is the place of nightmares.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged dream, Location, plane by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Helm of Disguise
The Helm of Disguise – Level 8
This fabled device, crafted by a greedy dwarven king, is a fine coif of silver chain with a shining silver mask that covers the upper face. With it one can take on the shape of any creature of about the wearer’s size.
Item Slot: Head 3.400 gold
Power (Daily; Minor): The wearer can Change Shape (see monster manual p280) to alter its physical form to take on the appearance of another creaure of its size or one size category larger or smaller, including a unique individual (giving a +20 bonus on its Bluff check to impersonate that individual). The new shape lasts until the creature is reduced to 0 hit points or choses to change back. Changing shape in this way does not grant any special powers or abilities.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Magic Item and tagged helm by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Stream Spirit
Yet another creature making its debut in Anointing the Seer, these water elementals present a worthy foe to lower-level characters, and can be summoned by those who have the Summon Elemental power.
These water spirits flow into the mortal world from the elemental chaos. They resemble animate waves about the size of a man, with eyes and mouth visible in their foaming features. Found in streams and rivers, they can calmly babble tunes to the weary or cruelly drown the unwary. They are powerful combatants and can knock their foes down and hold them under.
Stream Spirit: Level 7 Brute
medium elemental magical beast (water) – XP 300
Initiative +15 Senses Perception +2
HP 94; Bloodied 47
AC 19, Fortitude 19, Reflex 19, Will 19
Immunity disease, poison; Resist 5 cold
Speed 5
Powers
Wave Slap – (standard melee; at will)
+10 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage, and push 2.
Drowning Tide – (standard; encounter, close blast 2; recharge 5-6)
+8 vs. Reflex, 3d10 + 5 damage, slide 1, knocked prone, and one target is grabbed.
Water Affinity
As long as the Stream Spirit is within 1 square of water it receives a +1 power bonus to attack rolls and damage.
Alignment Unaligned Languages Primordial
Str 16 (+6) Dex 16 (+7) Wis 9 (+2)
Con 14 (+5) Int 7 (+1) Cha 16 (+6)
Tactics: Stream Spirits tend to lurk in bodies of water where they are impossible to distinguish from the water – it is a DC 25 Perception check to detect them before they raise up out of the water to attack. When they do attack they try to push opponents into the water and drown them by grabbing them and holding them under, or simply bludgeoning them to death.
Stream Spirit Lore
A character knows the following with a successful Arcana check:
DC 15: These elemental spirits are unpredictable and can be very dangerous.
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Creature and tagged creature origin: elemental, creature: heroic brute by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Sword of Damocles
Known for its troubling effects on men throughout spoken history, the sword of Damocles has left an indelible mark on the stories that frighten children. The sword itself is a cursed long sword of leadership -2 (attack, damage, and leadership rolls).
It is said that this weapon finds a way to lead the wielder into peril, and causes those led by the wielder to behave less faithfully. This sword is also deceptive; the wielder believes she is receiving bonuses rather than the hindrances.
Craft Wondrous Item; CL 11; Curse; Price: 15,000.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged artifact, cursed, weapon by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.