Last year, when I was just getting settled with this blogging stuff, I wrote a post containing some ads from an old issue of Dragon magazine. For whatever reason, that post has been steadily one of the most popular I have written. At any rate, this week has been super busy at work so I have decided to share some more. This time around we’re going to try issue #74 from June 1983.
For those of you who happen to be younger than myself, the thing to remember here is that this was before the Internet. Unless you happened to be lucky enough to live in close proximity to a gaming store, the pages of Dragon magazine were probably your only source of information regarding other game systems that might exist out there. These ads inspired wonder and opened the door to new possibilities.
The Court of Ardor
A supplement for Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP), a role-playing game set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. This source book introduced players to a new region of Middle-earth, Ardor, and provided additional adventures, characters, and details for the MERP gaming experience.
I did not own this supplement but I did own the Mirkwood supplement and the MERP boxed set. The game itself was sort of a streamlined version of Rolemaster (which I believe is still available today). Back then it was criticized for the fact that the system didn’t really feel like it captured the feeling of Tolkien’s works. This was not an issue for our neighborhood group of junior high school students.
Produced by Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.), MERP seemed to have a solid budget, as they often graced Dragon with full page ads.
Star Trek the Correspondence Game
Here’s one that may be a bit of a time capsule, as I’m not certain whether younger folks will remember play-by-mail (PBM) games.
Play-by-mail games were a form of gaming before the widespread use of the internet. In these games, players would interact with each other and the game master through written letters sent via postal mail. The game master would update the game world based on the players’ actions and decisions. There were quite a few of these out there, with Silverdawn and Hyborian War being the two that immediately com to mind.
I digress. This ad was for Star Trek: The Correspondence Game. It was a play-by-mail game that allowed participants to immerse themselves in the Star Trek universe. Players would take on the roles of starship captains, crew members, and other key personnel. The game was played through written correspondence, where players would send orders, reports, and other interactions to the game master via postal mail. Get a load of those $4/move rates. That seems high, even by today’s standard.
Being a poor high-school student, I never played in one of these games. However, I did run my own PBM game for members of the TSR RPGA for a year or so. I met folks through the RPGA directory and ran a campaign for them through the mail. I didn’t charge anyone but rather simply asked for a S.A.S.E. (that’s a self-addressed stamped envelope for the young folks) to be included with each turn.
James Bond 007 Role-Playing In Her Majesty’s Secret Service
By Victory Games. This tabletop RPG transported players into the thrilling and glamorous world of the iconic British secret agent, James Bond. I had this one, along with the Octopussy module. However, the best supplement for the game in my opinion was the Q Manual
The Q Manual expanded the gameplay experience by providing players with the full array of gadgets, vehicles, and equipment straight from the movies. I recall it having great attention to detail and spent more hours flipping through the pages and daydreaming than I ever did actually playing the game.
Bushido
From Fantasy Games Unlimited, “Bushido” transported players to a land where samurai warriors, mystics, and ninja assassins roamed. Drawing inspiration from Japanese history, mythology, and folklore, the game allowed players to immerse themselves in bushido – the way of the warrior.
Note the “Coming Soon: Ninja: Shadows over Nippon”. In 1983, it wasn’t a certainty that even TTRPG gamers knew what a ninja was.
The was another that certainly caught my eye. However, my 13-year-old budget never allowed me to get there. My Fantasy Games Unlimited experience was limited to Villains & Vigilantes, which I still own to this day.
Hârn
Created by N. Robin Crossby Hârn was one of the first 3rd party campaign settings that I was aware of at the time. With a vivid tapestry of interconnected cultures, kingdoms, and landscapes, Hârn offered players an immersive and highly authentic experience.
The setting was known for its attention to historical accuracy and deep world-building. The system-neutral nature of Hârn allowed it to integrate with various role-playing game mechanics. While I never dabbled with it myself, I believe it eventually spun out into its own RPG HârnWorld.
It appears that some of the HârnWorld may still be picked up on DriveThruRPG.
Closing
That’s all for this week. I could use some good vibes if you have any to send. Hoping things at work settle down soon. In the meantime, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate that you took the time to visit. If you have any memories of any of these ads, please share them below. Have a great week!
Have some time to kill? For maps & plot hooks, go here.
I have always had a soft spot for green slime. After receiving the Holmes Basic Edition of Dungeons & Dragons for my birthday in 1979, I would spend hours reading through the monster descriptions. I was already familiar with many of these, from different myths or old movies. However, the green slime always stood out and sparked my imagination.
The green slime has gone through a bit of an evolution over the various versions D&D. While this green substance features heavily in this week’s post, I will leave it to you to tune things in such a way that would best fit your game. As always, I have tried to tried to keep this as system agnostic as possible.
Alchemy Lab w/ Grid & Labels. Created with Campaign Cartographer SS4
What the Party Knows
To kick things off, arrange for your party to get hired to recover an exotic object. In my game, I went with something called the Burundi Apparatus, a device created by a Gowandian scholar. What you use for your game is entirely up to you.
The individual hiring the party recently loaned the apparatus to a gnome alchemist named Fineous Fizzlecrank. The gnome was supposed to have returned the item weeks ago. However, as Fizzlecrank is known to be a bit eccentric and get caught up in his work, the party has been sent out to fetch the overdue device directly. The gnome lives on the outskirts of a small village, about 2 days’ travel from the party’s current location.
Should the party happen to ask around, they may learn the following bits of information about Fizzlecrank:
The gnome is filthy rich, having made his money selling potions and elixirs to the wealthy.
He lives in a large estate on the outskirts of the village.
He has a staff of human servants who wait on him hand and foot.
People call him eccentric but he is really quite mad.
Some say that he can turn lead into gold.
He is absolutely obsessed with green slime.
He has not been seen for weeks.
What the Party Doesn’t Know
Fineous Fizzlecrank, the eccentric gnome alchemist, was always known for his unconventional methods and insatiable curiosity. His reputation for pushing boundaries made him both revered and ridiculed among his peers.
Fizzlecrank’s fascination with green slime began innocently enough. He had read ancient texts that hinted at the slime’s potential applications in alchemical concoctions. His early experiments involved extracting and distilling the slime’s essence to create powerful acids for his potions. But as time went on, Fizzlecrank’s obsession grew, and he delved deeper into the mysteries of the substance.
He spent countless nights pouring over his notes, scribbling equations, and muttering to himself. His once-pristine laboratory was soon a mess of vials, flasks, and slime samples. The more he experimented, the wilder his ideas became. He believed that the slime held the key to unlocking extraordinary abilities—immunity to disease, increased longevity, and even the power to transmute materials.
When his staff became fearful for his health, the alchemist dismissed them all, assuring them that he was fine. However, Fizzlecrank’s experiments became increasingly reckless. He began exposing himself to small doses of the slime, believing it would grant him the insights he sought. His skin developed strange patterns and a sickly green hue, while his mind started to unravel. Yet, he pressed on, his obsession blinding him to the dangers he was courting.
One fateful day, driven to a fevered state of delirium, Fizzlecrank ingested a substantial amount of the slime. His transformation was swift and horrifying. His body convulsed, his bones shifted, and his limbs contorted into a gelatinous form. As his consciousness melded with the slime, he gained a rudimentary form of sentience, albeit one warped by his madness.
The Manor House
Fizzlecrank’s alchemy lab is located in the basement under his opulent manor house. Should you desire, you could certainly map out the full structure and create other encounters. For the purposes of this post, I will limit myself to the alchemy lab itself.
Whether you decide to spend time detailing the manor house or not, you will want to leave some clues to make sure the party suspects something is amiss. My party waited politely at the door. Once they were fairly certain no one would answer, the rogue took care of the lock and the let themselves in.
It was clear from the state of disarray that something was not right. However, seeing a number of valuable objects lying around left the party feeling fairly certain that the manor had not been robbed. Ultimately, the party discovered a diary Fizzlecrank had left in the study. This document clearly documented the alchemist’s descent into madness and made numerous mentions of green slime.
Concerned for the well-being of the gnome and not yet having found the Burundi Apparatus, the party made their way downstairs.
The Alchemist Lab
Entering this massive room, the party will immediately know that they have found the alchemist lab. 11 pillars support the ceiling and the room is lit with a sickly green phosphorescent light that emanates from the top of each.
The room is in a great deal of disarray and the air is filled with a strange, pungent odor. There are 4 cluttered tables on each side of the room, with crates, barrels, bookshelves, and all manner of odd storage beyond.
1-4 Loose Slimes
Areas marked 1-4 show loose minor green slimes that have been roaming the lab since Fizzlecrank’s transformation. When the party first opens the door, slime #1 will begin moving toward area #5, at a pace of 5’ per round. On the second round after the party opens the door, slime #2 will similarly start moving, and so on.
These minor slimes will pay no attention to the party unless attacked or blocked. If so, they will hold their ground and fight back. You will need to adjust accordingly for your game but in my Rules Compendium game I gave these minor slimes a pseudopod melee attack with a reach of 5’, dealing 1-2 hit points of damage. They were unharmed by all attacks, except cold or fire (again adjust as necessary) but only had 1 hp each.
Upon dispatching one of these minor slimes, the pile of ooze starts to quiver in an unstable fashion. At the top of the following round, the minor slime corpse will burst like a bubble, dealing 1 hit point of damage to all adjacent targets. If the bursting slime happens to be adjacent to any of the 8 tables in the room, roll a d4 and the result will be the number of beakers containing other minor slimes that are shattered, releasing more minor slimes into the room.
These extra slimes will only be released once per table and any new slimes will start heading toward area #5 unless hindered by the party.
5 Greater Slime / Fineous Fizzlecrank
A wooden basin 12’ in diameter is inset within the floor here. Inside lies the slumbering form of what remains of Fineous Fizzlecrank. Now a giant amorphous green slime with a vaguely humanoid face, the creature is resting when the party initially enters the room.
If any of the minor slimes reach it or if the party disturbs the basin in any way, it will wake and attack. In addition, any subsequent minor slimes that reach it will have a healing effect on the abomination.
6 Burundi Apparatus
The Burundi Apparatus may be found inside a small crate here.
Wrap-Up
This week was a touch more silly than my usual fare but my group had a lot of fun with this fight. You’ll have a bit of tinkering to do, in deciding on what stats you want to use for the minor and greater slimes. That said, I suspect that most folks reading gaming blogs know the drill and wouldn’t have much trouble putting something together. I’m just trying to toss stuff out there to inspire people.
Do you have any favorite old-standby monsters that you’d enjoy seeing in an encounter? Drop me a line and let me know. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and have a great week!
This week’s entry picks up where I left off with The Mine at Mt. Morris. As a refresher, at the end of that tale, the party had recovered the diary of a long-dead necromancer named Elthane Vanator (known as the Darkstalker). In interrogating Foreman Fugue from that adventure, they also learned that a shadowy consortium had been feverishly seeking out the diary.
Being generally averse to shadowy consortiums as a whole, my players decided to not only guard the diary themselves but also go about collecting any other artifacts the necromancer left behind. The object in question for this week happens to be one of the Darkstalker’s spellbooks.
As always, change the MacGuffin as necessary for your game. This is merely presented as something to help spark ideas you your game.
Island map w/grid. Created with Campaign Cartographer SS4 Dungeons of Schley.
The Circle of Cairns
The party has traveled for days, to the northernmost reaches of Archia, to a place where the notorious necromancer Elthane Darkstalker is said to have left one of his spellbooks. Over 100 years ago, this border region was hotly contested with the neighboring country of Caledos. The locals believe this forest to be haunted to this day.
Bushwhacking nearly 8 hours from the nearest settlement, the party has arrived at a small lake. A rickety old wooden bridge leads to a small island. While the bridge will be able to safely support the party across, you should play up the fact that it is old and not in great shape.
Crossing the bridge, the party will discover a ring of nine stone cairns circling a roughly hewn altar. Each of the cairns stands roughly 10’ tall, though the one to the southwest appears to have been toppled long ago. The altar itself stands 5’ high and is roughly 5’ in diameter. Atop the altar sits the spell book of Elthane Darkstalker. While it has clearly been exposed to the elements for all these years, it shows no signs of wear.
As soon as the first party members sets foot within the circle defined by the cairns, a pulse of purple light will flash from the spell book, as a wave of energy shoots out. This will immediately be followed by a low humming sound that will begin to emanate from the cairns. Depending on the game system you are using, you may wish to allow your players to make a saving throw, to avoid experiencing a mild wave of nausea. There will be no mechanical effects to a failed save. This is merely to drive home the fact that they are interacting with something that is very evil. Obviously, any character with any latent abilities to detect evil will be aware that this is a vile location.
Island zoom.
Unbeknownst to the party, the pulse of energy serves another purpose. Fanning out past the small lake, it reaches the woods beyond. In this haunted forest, lie the skeletal remains of ancient combatants. As the pulse washes over them, these old warriors animate and are drawn to protect the spell book.
There are a total of 48 skeletons affected by the pulse. Wearing antique armor from both Archia & Caledos, they are each armed with either a short sword or a spear. These ancient skeletons are brittle and will be considered to only have 1 HP each, in addition they only move at a rate of 15’ per round. Obviously, you may decide to adjust this as you see fit, to ratchet things up for your game.
Unless the party happened to leave a sentry to watch the bridge, the humming sound from the cairns will be enough to mask the sound of the skeletons moving about in the forest. Arriving at the bridge, the skeletons will be forced to proceed 2 by 2. At this point the sounds of the creaking bridge will be enough to allow the party a chance to perceive the approach of the undead band.
How this encounter plays out will largely depend on when the party becomes aware of the skeletons. If a number of skeletons make it to the island undetected, while more follow behind them, this could become a tricky encounter. If the party is able to engage the undead while they are bottlenecked on the bridge, the party has a good chance of holding their own, at least long enough for them to figure out another plan.
When I ran this for my group, it was never my intention for the party to fight all 48 skeletons. However, you must take into consideration that your players won’t know everything that you know. Seeing a seemingly endless stream of undead marching toward them may be very intimidating. I always enjoy seeing how things like this will play out.
Aside from engaging with all of the skeletons, there are a number of other ways to wrap up this encounter. Toppling over another of the cairns will instantly cause any remaining skeletons to fall over in a pile of bones.
The bridge itself is old and fragile. A concentrated effort from the party will succeed in destroying the bridge. In the event of a bridge collapse. Any remaining skeletons will not enter the water. Instead, they will stand motionless at the shore. After 12 hours they will fall and become unanimated.
Finally, the party may opt to flee across the water themselves. The water is on average only 6’ deep and 10’ in the deeper blue sections. With the skeletons only focused on getting to the altar, this would be an easy, if ignoble, way to exit. Skeletons on the shore will completely ignore feeling adventurers.
Wrap Up
Assuming the party makes it out with the pollbook, they are now in the possession of two of the notorious necromancer’s most important belongings. What are they goals of this shadowy consortium that are seeking them out. What do you do with such items?
That’s all for this week. Real life work has been a bear lately, so I’ll take any good vibes you can send me. I hope you all have a great week and appreciate you stopping by.
Sooner or later, every adventuring party ends up returning to civilization. Continuing along with my series of random encounters, I am going to dive into the bustling streets of the city.
One of the biggest challenges to running towns or cities lies in being able to sell your players on the illusion that they are in a vibrant location with lots of activity and interesting people to meet. If one of the characters heads off to go shopping or another goes to visit the church, it can be helpful to have a little something ready for everyone else. This helps to keep everyone entertained but also fleshes out the city a bit.
These are all non-combat encounters (at least they start out that way) and most could be as mundane as can be. That said, I have tried to leave the door open for you to build on them as you see fit. You could easily use many of these as ways to introduce important new NPCs or plot threads within your campaign. These are merely intended to give you little hooks to work with.
That is enough out of me. When you find yourself in need of a little urban encounter, scroll through for something you like or roll a d100 and let the city unveil its secrets before you.
My starting town of Cross Tree. Made with Campaign Cartographer’s Isometric Cities of Schley symbol set.
1-2. Mysterious Art Piece: A skilled artist showcases their wares, included a painting that is the spitting image of one of the party members. The character has never met the artist, so how did the piece come to be made? Was it mere coincidence or is there something more at work?
3-4. Unusual Street Vendor: An eccentric merchant peddles curious trinkets and unique items from a mobile cart. While likely mundane baubles, these wares may hold hidden magical properties, secrets, or serve as conversation starters. Might they be a source of information for some items the party recently acquired?
5-6. Graffiti Artist: A graffiti artist captures the party’s attention as she puts the finishing touches on a vibrant mural. Perhaps the artwork conveys a hidden message that is recognized by one of the party members. Alternatively, what will the party do if the city watch attempts to apprehend the artist?
7-8. Lost Pet: A distressed citizen seeks help in finding their beloved pet that has gone missing. The individual would surely be in the party’s debt if they help to return the lost creature. Perhaps the hunt will reveal a hidden side of the city.
9-10. Accused!: A stranger points out the party to the city watch and accuses them of a minor crime. Yes, the band could likely fight their way out but would it be worth being branded as criminals? Why were they accused in the first place and could the party end up benefitting from the situation?
11-12. Urchins: A band of street urchins approaches the party, begging for handouts. The waifs will be thankful for any help that they receive and could become valuable assets to the party in the future.
13-14. Street Performer: A talented bard captivates the crowd with a mesmerizing display of music or storytelling. As the party passes by, he encourages them to join with him in song or dance. Allow characters who oblige temporary bonuses to performance-based skills.
15-16. Wanted!: After making the acquaintance of a helpful stranger earlier in the day, the party sees a wanted poster bearing the likeness of the individual. How will the party respond? Do they seek out the fellow and ask for his side of the story or immediately run to the authorities?
17-18. Street Brawl: A heated dispute between rival factions erupts into a chaotic street brawl. The party can choose to intervene, support a side, or find a diplomatic solution to ease tensions and prevent further violence.
19-20. Secretive Exchange: A party member witnesses two suspicious figures engage in a clandestine meeting, exchanging cryptic messages. Observing or interfering in their dealings might lead the party down a path of intrigue and espionage.
21-22. Fortune Teller’s Prophecy: A fortune teller with a decorated tent beckons the party to unveil their future through palm reading or reading tea leaves. The predictions can provide valuable hints or create new plot threads.
23-24. Mysterious Puzzles: Characters with an appropriate background identify a series of cryptic riddles etched on city walls. These seem to challenge passersby to solve the puzzle. Unraveling the enigma may grant access to hidden locations, secret societies, or reveal a long-forgotten treasure.
25-26. Street Food Extravaganza: A vibrant street market lures the party with an array of tantalizing aromas and mouthwatering delicacies. Trying the exotic dishes may grant temporary benefits or lead to an unpleasant digestive issue. Perhaps the vendor hails from some exotic locale that the party wishes to know more about.
27-28. Crier’s Announcement: A town crier delivers an urgent message, revealing the arrival of a renowned figure. Paying attention to the announcement could open new opportunities for the party.
29-30. Busker Battle: Two competing street performers engage in a friendly rivalry, showcasing their talents in a captivating music or dance battle. The party members get dragged in to deciding on the winner. Taking sides or joining the performers might result in a memorable performance or unexpected rewards.
31-32. Fanatic: A follower of a fringe cult preaches what seems to be nonsense in the town square. However, as the party passes some of what the fanatic says starts to sound very familiar to the party. Do they shrug it off or attempt to question the individual further?
33-34. Lost Heirloom: A distraught citizen recounts the story of a stolen family heirloom and implores the party’s help in recovering it. The search could unravel a larger conspiracy or connect the party with influential individuals.
35-36. Drunken Celebration: The party witnesses another group of adventurers who are celebrating a successful campaign while quite inebriated. In their impaired state, is the group boisterous and looking for a fight? Perhaps they let slip a mention of some great treasure that they failed to recover?
37-38. Mysterious Street Merchant: A half-starved merchant sells bizarre and seemingly useless items. These seemingly worthless objects might hold hidden properties or serve as catalysts for unique quests and encounters. Is there some benefit if a party member takes pity on him?
39-40. Public Debate: Intellectuals or scholars engage in a spirited debate on a prominent topic that interests the party. Participating in the discussion may grant valuable knowledge or insight into ongoing events in the city. Alternately, it may show the party’s hand and allow nefarious individuals to know their stance.
41-42. Secret Meeting: A group of cloaked figures gathers in a secluded alleyway, exchanging hushed whispers and secretive glances. Eavesdropping or confronting them could reveal a conspiracy or lead the party into an unexpected alliance.
43-44. Wizard’s Apprentice: An aspiring young wizard performs tricks on the street. He is not terribly skilled but is clearly giving the performance his all. Assisting the apprentice may help to gain the favor of his patron, who may hold valuable information.
45-46. Fortune’s Wheel: A mysterious woman offers the party spin on her wheel of fortune for a nominal cost. The outcome of their spin may grant them a boon, bestow a temporary curse, or open a pathway to unexpected encounters.
47-48. Eloquent Orator: A charismatic orator captivates a crowd with a powerful speech, stirring emotions and raising awareness about a pressing issue. Choosing to support their cause or challenge their beliefs can shape the city’s future.
49-50. Ghostly Haunting: The party encounters a ghostly apparition or lingering spirit seeking closure or assistance. Helping the ghost find peace may unravel a dark secret, lead to hidden treasures, or unveil forgotten history within the city.
51-52. Cryptic Street Art: An enigmatic piece of street art appears overnight, featuring symbols or cryptic messages that seem to defy interpretation. Deciphering its meaning may lead the party to a hidden location, a secret society, or a mysterious individual.
53-54. Hidden Resistance Movement: The party stumbles upon a covert resistance movement working against an oppressive regime or corrupt organization. Earning their trust and joining their cause could lead to a city-wide revolution.
55-56. Dragon Chess Master: A skilled dragon chess player sets up a public board, challenging passersby to a game. Defeating the master could earn the party member a seat at an underground tournament, with a special prize.
57-58. Illusionist’s Performance: An illusionist stages a breathtaking performance in a public square, showcasing mind-bending tricks and optical illusions. Knowledgeable party members can see through his illusions but he is passing them off to the gullible as being legitimate. Citizens are spending their hard-earned money, will the party intervene?
59-60. Local Celebrity Encounter: The party encounters a well-known figure from the city’s social scene, such as a famous actor or renowned author. Engaging with them could lead to unexpected opportunities or potential complications. What if he is not all he is cracked up to be?
61-62. Wishing Well: While passing by an ordinary looking well, one of the party members hears a voice saying, “Drop a coin and make a wish.” Was this some trick played by local youths or is there some enchantment to the well?
63-64. Bizarre Street Vendor Competition: Two eccentric street vendors engage in a whimsical competition, each trying to outdo the other with peculiar and exotic goods. The party can choose to assist one of the vendors or find creative uses for their extraordinary merchandise.
65-66. Mysterious Midnight Procession: The party stumbles upon a solemn and mysterious midnight procession, led by robed figures carrying cryptic symbols or sacred relics. Following the procession may lead to an ancient ritual or a secret gathering of cultists.
67-68. The Haunted Alley: An infamous alleyway is rumored to be haunted by a vengeful spirit or ghostly apparition. Exploring the haunted alley could unveil a tragic past, provide clues to a murder mystery, or even grant an unexpected boon.
69-70. Secret Underground Gambling Den: The party accidentally discovers a hidden entrance leading to an underground gambling den. High-stakes games of chance unfold all around them but there are a lot of shady characters. Participating in the games could lead to fortune or ruin.
71-72. Conspiracy Theorist: A passionate conspiracy theorist pulls aside one of the characters and shares their theories about secret societies or government cover-ups. Engaging with them might reveal kernels of truth or inspire the party to investigate further. Alternatively, he may be a total nut.
73-74. Urban Oasis: Amidst the concrete jungle, a gardener has created a stunning oasis of vibrant flowers, herbs, and foliage. Assisting the gardener in maintaining the sanctuary could unlock benefits or provide a valuable source for ingredients.
75-76. The Enigmatic Beggar: A seemingly destitute beggar possesses an uncanny knowledge of the city’s secrets. In exchange for simple acts of kindness, he will gladly share his knowledge with the party. Building a relationship with the beggar may unlock vital information or unexpected assistance.
77-78. Execution: A large crowd has gathered in the town square to witness a series of public executions. As the prisoners are marched through the crowd, the party realizes that one of the condemned is someone they know!
79-80. Pickpocket: While walking through a crowded square, a youth bumps into one of the party members in an obvious attempt at pickpocketing. Catching them red-handed, how will the party react? Do they turn the would-be thief over to the authorities? Could the young fellow become a valuable asset?
81-82. Foreigner: One of the party member notices a foreigner who is clearly new to the city. The poor soul can’t speak the language and appears confused. Will the party lend a hand? Perhaps this individual is from somewhere of interest to the party.
83-84. Underground Market: A stranger mistakes a simple gesture from the party to be a secret password. As a result, the party gains access to a hidden underground market where illegal goods and contraband are traded. Navigating the market may reveal rare items or lead to encounters with dangerous criminals.
85-86. Rats!: Some of the party members witness rats scrabbling over the wares of a local food vendor. Do they keep this knowledge to themselves, risk upsetting the vendor, or possibly help with the issue?
87-88. Noblewoman: A noblewoman and her retinue barge their way through the busy street. It is clear to the party that she views the townsfolk as being beneath her because her retainers roughly shove them out of the way. Does the party let this stand or do they stand up for the regular folks?
89-90. Wedding Objection: A wedding procession makes it way through the busiest part of the city. All is well until a spurned suitor and his family arrive to object. Things could become violent. Will the party intervene? What if they personally know one of the individuals?
91-92. Sculptor’s Commission: A renowned sculptor approaches one of the party members and asks them to model for their latest masterpiece. Participating in the project might lead to unexpected connections or lead to unexpected fame.
93-94. Afflicted Outcast: In a quiet corner of the city, the party comes across a secluded figure shrouded in tattered rags, clearly afflicted by disease. He piteously calls for aid. Will the party keep a safe distance or offer to help the poor soul?
95-96. Follower: One of the group notices that the party is being followed. The follower isn’t particularly stealthy but is persistent. Is it someone with an evil agenda or perhaps the hireling f a foe? Alternatively, it could be a fan of the party or someone looking for help.
97-98. Citywide Celebration: The entire city is swept up in a grand celebration for a local holiday. Apparently it is customary for outsiders to put on a little performance for the citizens. This could take the form r a song, dance, or story. Will the party participate when they are put on the spot or disappoint the crowd?
99-100. Wagon Wheel: A local farmer, visiting the city with his produce is having trouble. One of his wagon wheels has come off in a busy intersection. The party could easily ignore this but if they help, a farmer could be a handy friend to have.
Conclusion:
That will wrap up my 50 urban encounters. Most of these are simply intended to give you something to toss out to the group while some of the party members are engaged in another activity. Little shorts like this have always been useful for me, to help make my cities feel alive. If you happen to be using my suggestion of providing a Who’s Who for your campaign, be sure to jot down the names of any new NPCs you end up creating.
Do you have any standby tips or tricks for when you are running your characters through populated areas? If so, drop a comment below. I would love to hear what you do. That is all for now.
Hun Khi. Created using Campaign Cartographer’s Empire of the Sun style.
In the ancient land of Hun Khi, somewhere to the southeast of Mt. Saga, lies the small lakeside village of Gaiporo. Serene and picturesque, this village thrives on the bounties of the nearby lake and the lush surrounding forests. However, a chilling presence lingers beyond the village’s borders, concealed within the depths of the misty forest.
Hidden away in the foothills, stands the Haunted Shrine of Gaiporo. For nearly seven decades, this sacred place has remained untouched, haunted by the spirits of the Toyagaru family. These ill-fated siblings met their untimely demise when a rival warlord’s agents infiltrated their home, slaying them in their sleep.
Tethered to this world by an unquenchable thirst for revenge, the ghostly apparitions of the brothers now haunt the shrine. These vengeful entities manifest themselves when any approach. In death their faces have taken on a bestial look and their eyes glow a crimson red.
Whispers of their spectral presence have long circulated among the villagers, filling their hearts with trepidation. Legends speak of the fabled Twin Blades of Toyagaru, two exquisite swords of immense power and mystical enchantment. It is said that any who can defeat the vengeful spirits or bring peace to their souls by exacting revenge upon the rival warlord’s family may claim these legendary weapons as their own.
Brave adventurers seeking glory and riches may find themselves drawn to the Haunted Shrine of Gaiporo, enticed by the lure of the twin blades. But beware, for the path to redemption is fraught with danger and the spirits of the Toyagaru brothers are not easily vanquished. To claim the fabled swords, heroes must navigate the misty forest, face spectral adversaries, and uncover the truth that lies hidden within the shadowed depths of the shrine.
Thanks for stopping by. I am trying to find the sweet spot with these, where I provide an interesting idea to build an adventure around without going too deep. If you have a preference either way, please drop me a note in the comments.
Ahoy mateys! Continuing along with my series of random lists I am going to add some maritime encounters. As with my post about 50 Wilderness Encounters, all of these could range from unexplained occurrences to hooks for you to base entire adventures off of.
When your party is traveling from one locale to another, waterborne travel is common. Rather than hand-waiving the journey, sometimes you want something interesting to happen. During these voyages you may find yourself wanting a non-combat encounter. I find that occasionally tossing in something like this will help to keep everyone engaged during long periods of travel. Whatever the case, roll a d100 and consult below, to find out whether there be stormy seas ahead.
Doodle made with Campaign Cartographer Mike Schley Overland Style.
1-2. Bioluminescent Delight: The water glows with ethereal light as the ship sails through a mesmerizing stretch of bioluminescent plankton, casting an otherworldly ambiance.
3-4. Celestial Navigator: The night sky reveals a constellation that guides the ship, providing a temporary bonus to navigation or granting insight into a hidden location.
5-6. Mysterious Fog Bank: The ship sails into a dense fog bank, concealing strange sounds and eerie shapes. It dissipates after a while, leaving the crew wondering what they witnessed.
7-8. Song of the Sirens: A hauntingly beautiful melody fills the air, captivating those aboard the ship. The source of the music remains elusive but stirs intense emotions.
9-10. Message in a Bottle: A weathered, sealed bottle bobs alongside the ship, containing a message from a distant traveler seeking aid or sharing a cryptic riddle.
11-12. Dolphin Escort: A playful pod of dolphins joins the ship, gracefully leaping and swimming alongside, as if guiding the crew towards a significant discovery or impending danger.
13-14. Flotsam and Jetsam: The ship encounters a floating debris field, harboring remnants of a shipwreck, valuable items, or a survivor desperately in need of rescue.
15-16. Mermaid’s Lament: A mournful melody reaches the ship’s ears as a curious mermaid emerges from the water, sharing a tragic tale or offering a cryptic warning.
17-18. Roving Trading Vessel: An unusual ship, brimming with exotic wares and colorful characters, sails by. The crew has the opportunity to engage in trade or gather information.
19-20. Oceanic Mirage: The crew spots a mirage on the horizon, appearing as a shimmering island or a distant vessel. It fades away as they approach, leaving them questioning their senses.
21-22. Storm’s Symphony: The thunderous storm that brews overhead transforms into a mesmerizing symphony of lightning and thunder, evoking awe and granting temporary inspiration to those who witness it.
23-24. Whirlpool’s Secret: The ship sails near a powerful whirlpool, revealing a hidden underwater cave or ancient treasure chamber accessible only during certain tidal conditions.
25-26. Starlit Reflections: On a calm night, the stars above reflect perfectly on the undisturbed sea, creating a breathtaking celestial mirror that mesmerizes those who witness it.
27-28. Lost Mariner’s Journal: The crew discovers a waterlogged journal floating in the sea, chronicling the adventures of a long-lost sailor, and revealing valuable navigational insights or hidden knowledge.
29-30. Coral Reef Serenade: A choir of aquatic creatures harmonizes in a symphony of song and dance, performed around a vibrant coral reef. Witnessing this enchanting display grants a temporary bonus to charisma-based checks.
31-32. Ghostly Flotilla: A spectral armada appears on the horizon, manned by the shades of long-deceased sailors. They pass by the ship without interference, leaving the crew with a sense of awe and wonder.
33-34. Enchanted Breeze: A gentle breeze fills the sails, carrying with it melodious whispers that share tales of forgotten lands or distant legends, inspiring the crew’s creativity.
35-36. Lighthouse Beacon: A remote lighthouse emerges from the darkness, providing a guiding light for ships at sea. It serves as a welcoming haven or harbors a secret within its walls.
37-38. Kraken’s Lullaby: The ship sails through an area inhabited by a slumbering kraken, surrounded by a serene calmness that evokes a sense of tranquility and safety.
39-40. Triton’s Greeting: A regal triton emerges from the depths, offering guidance or challenging the crew to a riddle or contest, promising rewards for success.
41-42. Spectacular Migration: The ship witnesses a breathtaking migration of aquatic creatures, such as massive whales or graceful sea turtles, granting a temporary connection to nature for those who behold it.
43-44. Sunken Ship’s Bounty: The crew spots a partially submerged shipwreck, still holding valuable cargo or secrets waiting to be discovered with the aid of skilled divers.
45-46. Mystic Tides: The ship sails through a region where the tides take on a mystical quality, revealing submerged paths or hidden entrances to underwater realms.
47-48. Elusive Seafarer: A mysterious sailor, speaking in riddles and prophecies, boards the ship briefly, imparting cryptic knowledge before disappearing as mysteriously as they arrived.
49-50. Living Reef: A massive, sentient coral reef comes to life, interacting with the ship and its crew, sharing ancient wisdom, or granting a temporary blessing for respecting the sea’s harmony.
51-52. Mysterious Shipwreck: The ship stumbles upon a sunken vessel that defies explanation. It appears to be from a time long past or a civilization unknown, tempting the crew with the allure of lost treasures and untold stories.
53-54. Haunted Waters: The ship sails into an area haunted by vengeful spirits, causing unsettling phenomena such as flickering lights, disembodied voices, or objects moving on their own. The spirits may have a message to convey or require assistance to find peace.
55-56. Legendary Seafarer’s Rest: The crew discovers a hidden island where a legendary seafarer, believed to have perished long ago, resides in peaceful seclusion. They can offer valuable advice, teach new skills, or share tales of the sea.
57-58. Eerie Sea Silence: The ship enters a region where all sounds are absorbed, creating an unsettling silence that heightens the crew’s senses. It may hold hidden dangers or offer a respite from the usual clamor of the sea.
59-60. Leviathan’s Wake: A massive leviathan breaches near the ship, its sheer size and power awe-inspiring. The encounter may evoke fear, but it could also serve as a moment of reverence for the wonders of the natural world.
61-62. Treacherous Currents: The ship finds itself caught in powerful currents, requiring skilled navigation or clever tactics to escape their grasp. Success brings a sense of accomplishment and the admiration of the crew.
63-64. Mirage Island: A mirage of a lush, tropical island appears on the horizon, complete with palm trees, pristine beaches, and the promise of relaxation. However, it proves elusive, vanishing as the ship draws near.
65-66. Seafarer’s Graveyard: The ship comes across a desolate area littered with the wreckage of countless vessels. It serves as a chilling reminder of the sea’s unforgiving nature and may hold clues to the perils that lie ahead.
67-68. Lunar Tide: The moon’s gravitational pull creates an unusually high tide, revealing hidden caves, underwater passages, or submerged treasures that are normally inaccessible. The crew must act swiftly to explore before the tide recedes.
69-70. Whispers from the Deep: Faint, unintelligible whispers rise from the depths, hinting at ancient secrets or forgotten knowledge. Deciphering these mysterious voices may lead the crew to a hidden discovery.
71-72. Enchanted Seashells: The crew finds seashells imbued with magical properties, granting temporary enhancements or spellcasting abilities. These shells can be used in rituals, traded for favors, or kept as valuable souvenirs.
73-74. Lost Navigation Charts: A tattered and waterlogged set of navigation charts drifts alongside the ship. Although damaged, they provide hints to hidden routes, uncharted islands, or treacherous reefs.
75-76. Monstrous Migration: A migration of colossal sea creatures, such as giant sea serpents or immense octopuses, causes a temporary disruption in the ship’s course. The crew must navigate carefully to avoid colliding with these awe-inspiring beasts.
77-78. Singing Sandbar: The ship encounters a sandbar that emits melodic tones when struck or walked upon. This enchanting phenomenon grants temporary bonuses to performance-based skills or attracts the attention of curious creatures.
79-80. Sunken Temple: The ship comes across the ruins of an ancient temple submerged beneath the waves. Exploring this underwater marvel reveals forgotten relics, hidden chambers, or puzzles that guard ancient knowledge.
81-82. Poltergeist Seas: The crew finds themselves in a region where mischievous spirits play pranks, causing objects to move, disappear, or reappear in unexpected places. Overcoming these antics may lead to the spirits’ gratitude or further challenges.
83-84. Ghostly Navigator: A ghostly figure materializes on the ship, possessing vast knowledge of uncharted waters and navigation techniques. They offer to guide the crew to a specific location or reveal a hidden treasure before fading away.
85-86. Stormcaller’s Orchestra: The ship sails through a storm infused with a symphony of sounds—thunder, rain, and wind harmonize to create a captivating, almost musical experience. The crew may find inspiration or insights within this natural spectacle.
87-88. Enchanted Bioluminescence: The waters become alive with a radiant display of bioluminescent organisms, illuminating the ship’s path, and creating a mesmerizing scene. These enchanted lights may have magical properties or attract otherworldly creatures.
89-90. Navigational Riddle: The crew encounters a magical puzzle or riddle inscribed on an ancient stone marker. Solving the riddle reveals a hidden navigational route, a forgotten island, or a trove of valuable information.
91-92. Pirate’s Buried Treasure: Following a cryptic treasure map, the crew discovers a hidden cache of pirate loot buried on a remote island or at the ocean floor. Unearthing the treasure may attract the attention of other treasure seekers or supernatural guardians.
93-94. Siren’s Song: The ship becomes entranced by a hauntingly beautiful siren’s song, threatening to lure the crew to their doom. Overcoming the enchantment requires strong willpower or counteracting the song with a different melody.
95-96. Aerial Show: Majestic flying creatures, such as giant roc or shimmering dragons, engage in an aerial display above the ship. Observing these magnificent creatures may bestow temporary flight or inspire tales of mythical creatures.
97-98. Becalmed: The ship sails into an area where the wind mysteriously vanishes, leaving the vessel stranded in a state of calm. The crew must find creative solutions, such as rowing or utilizing magical means, to navigate and escape this stagnant situation. Time may become a pressing concern as supplies dwindle.
99-100. Calm Before the Storm: The sea turns eerily calm, an unnatural stillness that precedes a violent storm. The crew must prepare for the impending tempest or search for shelter to ride out the waves and winds.
Conclusion:
That is all for now. I hope these additions bring a bit of wonder to your party’s seafaring exploits. Thanks for stopping by. If you have any suggestions for other encounters, please leave a note in the comments.
When it comes to running tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Some players enjoy diving deep into character creation and exploring complex rules and mechanics, while others prefer a faster, more streamlined experience. That is ok. There is no “right” way to enjoy the hobby, and it is all about finding what works best for you and your group. This post will not be for everyone. I am merely sharing something that works well for the groups that I run games for.
I personally enjoy digging into my games. I see character creation as part of the game and not some chore that must be suffered though. As a GM, working on my campaign world gives me a great deal of joy and is probably just as much fun to me as actively playing.
Creating My Player’s Guide
While not necessary, I will usually create a campaign map once my player’s guide is complete.
As I did when I wrote my post about creating a Who’s Who for your campaign, I wanted to share something that I enjoy doing for my campaign settings. When I am in between games and decide that it is about time to start a new campaign, the first thing I will do is start jotting down some notes to create a player’s guide.
It all starts with my original inspiration. Perhaps a new book series or movie caught my attention or possibly I stumbled onto some old property from my youth that I wanted to build on (this was the case with the Land of the Lost influence in my Revisiting the Isle of Dread post.) By this point I will likely know what genre I am picturing and probably also know which game system I want to use.
Next, I will get down to more formally capturing my thoughts. This step usually takes place in a Word doc or spiral notebook. I will tell my players a bit about what to expect from the campaign. For instance, will this be an epic tale of saving the world or a lighthearted romp in a fanciful setting?
Mind you, this is far from complete. I am not proposing mapping out a full campaign here. There is no way I could know what kind of twists and turns will develop. I merely know what kind of game and what kind of setting I want to be playing in.
A polished up player’s guide that has evolved over a few campaigns.
From there I start to think about the types of cultures that exist in the world. For example, if I want to include a region that is vaguely similar to ancient Greece or the Shire from The Hobbit, I note that. I will create a name for each region and jot down a few facts about it. Again, this is far from complete. I do not force anything but rather list the areas that come to me organically.
I do not go crazy with this but rather provide enough information to remind myself (and my players) “Hey, this place is similar to ancient Greece.” In the case of any unique locations that were purely created by me, I simply strive to give players enough of a feel for the location to allow their imagination to fill in the blanks.
Finally, if I am running with some new players I might also include some information about the various classes or professions that will be available in the campaign. This is largely dependent on the game system we are using and which selections I feel would be a good fit for the campaign.
With all of this information in hand, I will then polish it up a bit. I format things and drop in some pictures to help convey what I am going for. There is no need to go crazy here, though I find that making the player’s guide look sharp goes a long way toward early player buy in. Once everything is in order, I will distribute the document to my players. I ask them to skim through and give me feedback as to where they think they would like their character to come from, as well as what class/profession they would like to play.
The Players
I enjoy the process once my players get hold of the document. Again, if you are the type who prefers to roll up characters in 5 minutes and hit the dungeon, this probably is not going to appeal to you. However, for our games, this really starts to breathe life into the budding campaign.
Over the course of the next week or so, players will reach out to me with questions. Some may immediately relate to certain areas within the campaign world and decide that is where they want their characters to come from. Occasionally a player might not see a locale that calls to them. When this occurs, it is not a problem but rather an opportunity for us to discuss and possibly add something new to the document.
Natural questions develop about certain regions such as “What is the capital city of _____?” or “What deities are worshipped in _______?” I generally do not know the answers to these questions until they are asked but am able to create them once I know that they are of particular interest to my players. As I do, I jot them down and add them into the document. In this way I am not filling in an entire campaign setting from scratch but merely focusing on the parts that are important to my players.
An old player’s guide from my friend Mike’s game, dating back to ~1988.
You may have noticed that I did not mention a section on races/ancestries for the game. That is largely because I tend to run games that are lower fantasy and human centric. When I do have nonhumans in my games they would generally be mentioned in the location description. Something like “Westberry Farthing” might be listed as the pastoral home to the Halflings or “Tindu Loren” could be home to the Forest Elves. On the off-chance that a player wants to play something like an anthropomorphic rabbit, they can always discuss with me and we will see whether or not it would make sense in the world.
Closing
That is really all there is to it. As with previous posts, this may all be common sense to you or you may see it as completely unnecessary. If that is the case, that is fine. This is simply a little tool that has been valuable in my home games and has given me a great deal of pleasure outside of our actual game sessions.
Beyond the value for the campaign at hand, I will often resurrect old player’s guides for other campaigns down the road. When reused like this I can often update them with new information, based on all of the adventures that have already taken place. This process saves me a great deal of time and also adds to the richness of the campaign world.
That is all for now. Do you do anything similar to this with your own games or do you have any tips or suggestions to add? Thanks for reading.
If you would like to see some other general posts, you may find them here.
If you would like to see some maps with plot hooks, you may find them here.
Any band of adventurers worth their salt will take their time to set up a watch for the night. More often than not the night passes uneventfully and the journey slogs along. Sometimes you want something to shake your group up a bit, without resorting to a wandering monster.
All of these could range from unexplained occurrences to hooks for you to base entire adventures off of. It just depends on what you need for your game at the moment. I find that occasionally tossing in something like this will help to keep everyone engaged during long periods of travel.
These also work as good fillers, when I need something else to happen prior to the end of a session. Whatever the case, roll a d100 and consult below, to see what goes bump in the night.
1-2. Celestial Spectacle: The night sky comes alive with a breathtaking display of shooting stars or a rare planetary alignment.
3-4. Harmonious Melody: Enchanting music fills the air, seemingly emanating from an unseen source. The music is not loud enough to wake anyone up and will cease if any sleeping party members are awakened.
5-6. Glowing Fauna: Bioluminescent creatures emerge from the darkness, illuminating the surroundings with their ethereal glow.
7-8. Astral Projection: One of the sleeping characters experiences a vivid and prophetic dream, offering hints or warnings about their future endeavors.
9-10. Whispers in the Dark: Those on watch hear faint whispers or distant voices, carried on the night breeze. These hint at hidden secrets or long-lost knowledge.
11-12. Ghostly Encounter: A friendly or troubled spirit manifests during the night, seeking closure or offering guidance to the characters.
13-14. Lost Artifact: The characters on watch stumble upon a forgotten relic or artifact, partially buried in the ground, with unknown powers or a mysterious past.
15-16. Dream Realm: Sleeping characters find themselves in a shared dream, navigating a surreal landscape or confronting their deepest fears.
17-18. The Illuminated Path: Characters on watch notice a faint, glowing trail leading to a hidden location or an important discovery.
19-20. Time Warp: Sleeping characters experience a temporary time distortion, witnessing events from the past or glimpses into the future.
21-22. Shifting Shadows: The campsite becomes a gateway to a pocket dimension or a parallel reality, where familiar places are twisted and distorted.
23-24. Animal Messenger: An intelligent animal approaches the camp, bearing a message or a warning from a distant ally or foe.
25-26. Flickering Flames: The campfire dances and morphs into mesmerizing shapes, revealing cryptic symbols or visions to those who observe it.
27-28. Enchanted Sleep: Characters on watch drift off to sleep. When the party wakes, they find themselves in a different location, seemingly transported during their slumber.
29-30. Nature’s Blessing: A light rain starts out of nowhere. As it lets up, the characters wake up to find their wounds healed, their supplies replenished, and a sense of rejuvenation.
31-32. Moonlit Ritual: A secretive group performs a ritual under the moonlight, offering the characters on watch a chance to witness or interrupt their proceedings.
33-34. Nighttime Market: A mysterious bazaar materializes near the campsite, offering exotic goods, rare ingredients, or peculiar services.
35-36. The Invisible Hand: The characters wake up to find objects around the campsite rearranged or tidied up by an unseen helpful presence.
37-38. Luminescent Guardian: A gentle spirit of light takes on the role of protecting the characters during the night, guiding them away from harm.
39-40. The Shadow’s Beckoning: Shadows in the surrounding area come to life, swirling and forming shapes, hinting at hidden paths or secrets.
41-42. Portentous Clouds: Strange cloud formations gather above the campsite, revealing foreboding symbols or images that foreshadow future events.
43-44. The Whisperer: A mysterious figure emerges from the darkness, claiming to possess ancient knowledge and offering cryptic advice.
45-46. Trapped in a Dream: One of the characters becomes trapped in a vivid, lifelike dream, requiring the others to find a way to wake them.
47-48. Phantasmal Menagerie: A collection of spectral animals gathers around the campsite, observing the characters with curious, ethereal eyes.
49-50. Nighttime Companion: A loyal and intelligent creature approaches the characters, seeking companionship or offering assistance during their travels.
51-52. Veil of Illusion: The characters wake up to find themselves in an illusionary realm, where reality bends and shifts, requiring them to solve puzzles to escape.
53-54. Elemental Reverie: The elements around the campsite come to life, dancing and swirling in a mesmerizing display of elemental harmony.
55-56. Echoes of the Past: The characters witness ghostly echoes of historical events or significant moments that occurred in the area, gaining insights into its hidden history.
57-58. Feywild Crossing: The campsite becomes a temporary gateway to the Feywild, where the characters encounter mischievous fey creatures and experience the whimsical nature of the plane.
59-60. Shadow Puppetry: Shadows cast by the campfire take on a life of their own, performing a silent and captivating shadow play that tells a mysterious story.
61-62. Whispering Trees: The trees surrounding the campsite whisper ancient secrets or foretell future events to those who listen closely, providing valuable information or warnings.
63-64. Elemental Balance: The characters are visited by an elemental spirit that offers them a unique and temporary boon related to one of the four elements—earth, air, fire, or water.
65-66. Vanishing Act: The campsite suddenly disappears, leaving the characters in an otherworldly realm or plane for a short time before reappearing in a different location.
67-68. Illusory Menace: Characters on watch are plagued by illusory creatures or illusions that mimic dangerous foes, testing their wits and abilities.
69-70. Spirit Guide: The characters encounter a wise spirit guide who provides guidance and cryptic advice, leading them to hidden treasures or revealing important information.
71-72. Ephemeral Guardians: Ethereal and translucent guardians appear around the campsite, protecting the characters from harm during the night.
73-74. Haunted Dreams: Sleeping characters share a collective dream haunted by the spirits of the past, requiring them to confront and resolve a forgotten tragedy.
75-76. Luminous Dew: The morning reveals that the campsite is covered in sparkling and magical dew, which can be collected and used for various enchanting purposes.
77-78. Aurora’s Embrace: The sky fills with vibrant auroras, and the characters are enveloped in their mesmerizing glow, temporarily granting them supernatural abilities or insights.
79-80. Time Loop: Characters on watch drift off to sleep. Then the night repeats itself, with the characters reliving the same events and encounters until they discover the cause and find a way to break the loop.
81-82. Feywild Market: A bustling Feywild market manifests near the campsite, offering strange and exotic goods, curious trinkets, and intriguing bargains.
83-84. Cursed Relic: Characters on watch stumble upon a cursed object that brings misfortune or strange effects until they find a way to cleanse or dispose of it.
85-86. Lunar Serenade: The moon’s radiant light fills the campsite, soothing and invigorating the characters, granting them temporary bonuses to their abilities.
Adventurer catching a few winks. Art by Diego Castro. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
87-88. Guiding Stars: A constellation forms in the night sky, providing guidance and navigation aid to the characters, helping them find their way or revealing hidden paths.
89-90. Feywild Poltergeist: A playful and mischievous fey creature infiltrates the campsite, pulling harmless pranks and challenges the characters to a game or contest.
91-92. Arcane Nexus: Characters on watch discover a site of potent magical energy, where spells behave unexpectedly, wild magic surges, and magical phenomena occur.
93-94. Shadow Gate: Characters on watch discover a hidden portal to a plane of darkness and gloom, where they must navigate treacherous shadows and confront shadow creatures.
95-96. Ethereal Visitors: Ethereal beings or spirits from another plane temporarily materialize at the campsite, seeking assistance, guidance, or redemption.
97-98. Starfall: A shower of shooting stars rains down upon the campsite, each carrying a mysterious and magical effect when collected or interacted with.
99-100. Night’s Blessing: The night bestows a temporary boon upon the characters, enhancing their abilities, granting them insight, or imbuing them with a sense of profound luck and fortune.
That is all for now. I hope these additions bring a bit of wonder to your party’s overnight experiences. Thanks for stopping by. If you have any suggestions for other encounters, please leave a note in the comments.
Real life responsibilities pulled me reluctantly away from tabletop role-playing games at some point in the late 1990s. It wasn’t until 2014 that I dusted myself off and started to participate in the hobby again. I wasn’t completely without an escape during this time. I started playing World of Warcraft about four months after launch and I played regularly until the end of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.
While my WoW days are well behind me, something about working on my map for this week’s post kept bringing me back to the venerable video game that will be turning 20 next year. If you have fond memories of the Warcraft universe, enjoy this silly escape. If not, please allow me this indulgence and I’ll be back to regular posts soon enough.
The Shadowhaven Crypt
In Duskwood, hidden away just south of the Tranquil Gardens Cemetery lies the entrance to the Shadowhaven Crypt. Barnabas Shadowhaven was a wealthy Stormwind merchant who had retired to this region back in the days when it was still known as Brightwood. Whispers had circulated about Shadowhaven being involved in questionable practices. Some claimed that he dabbled in forbidden magics, while others believed he had dealings with unsavory entities from the shadowy realms. The exact nature of these rumors remained nebulous, but they were enough to create an air of suspicion and mistrust around him.
Tranquil Garden Cemetery.
Such it was that there wasn’t a great deal of fanfare surrounding his passing. His estate in Grand Hamlet had been boarded up and razed some years later as the town expanded. By the time of Medivh’s passing and the change of the town’s name to Darkshire, Barnabas Shadowhaven was long since forgotten.
With the recall of the Stormwind army to other parts of the realm, the situation in Duskwood is turning grim. Their resources already stretched thin, the Night Watch has asked the party to investigate strange occurrences near the Shadowhaven Crypt and put to rest whatever dwells there.
Entrance– 1
The entrance to the crypt is marked by a massive, banded iron door embossed with the name Shadowhaven. Its aged surface bears signs of wear, hinting at the passage of time and the mysteries that lie beyond. While the door appears quite old and the surrounding area is overgrown, it pulls open easily.
Upon opening the door, the party will immediately be attacked by 3 Skeletal Warriors, and 2 Skeletal Ghouls. If defeated, these mobs will yield the following: 20 silver pieces, 10 wool cloth, 2 delicious cave mold, a brocade cloak, & 3 moonberry juice.
Oddly, a lit torch a placed in a sconce on either side of the entrance. Opposite the door, the hall leads south to a staircase going down.
Rickety Swing Bridge– 2
A rickety swing bridge spans a 10-foot chasm here. It stretches precariously between 4 wooden stakes. As the party steps onto the bridge, they can hear the distant rush of water echoing from about 30 feet below. The bridge sways with each step, testing their balance and nerve as they carefully make their way across the gap. While this looks dangerous, the party has nothing to fear here unless they do anything crazy.
Dining Room – 3
While certainly an odd thing to be found within a crypt, this large room appears to be a dining room. 2 Restless Spirits are busily setting the table when the party arrives. Upon entering the room, both will crossly scold the party and inform them that “supper is not ready yet!”
Duskwood.
If the party closes the door and does not enter the room, the spirits will go back to their work. Otherwise, they will attack. If defeated, the spirits will drop the following: 12 silver pieces, 6 copper pieces, 4 Silk Cloth, 1 Healing Potion, & a bludgeoning cudgel.
The Larder – 4
This room is empty save for an assortment of crates and barrels. The contents of most of these has long since rotted away. However, a thorough search turns up some old herbs and spices, along with oil & vinegar in earthenware containers.
Bone Chamber – 5
Skeletal Raider
This small room is littered with bones and a cage toward the eastern edge of the room. If the part simply crosses through the room and exits via the door on the other side, nothing will happen. However, if the party disturbs any of the piles of bones or tampers with the cage, a chill wind will blow through the room and 3 Skeletal Raiders will form from the bones and attack.
If defeated, the following loot may be recovered from the room: 28 silver pieces, 8 pieces of Silk Cloth, & a broken mirror.
Natural Cavern – 6
This cave’s irregular walls bear the marks of untamed nature. Within this chamber, a natural spring emerges from a hole in the western wall, creating a small tranquil pool in the center of the room. The soothing sound of water echoes as it spills over a small waterfall and flows out through the eastern wall, lending an atmosphere of serenity amidst the crypt’s mysterious ambience.
While this cavern may seem calm, a nest of 4 Black Widow Hatchlings has made a nest in the opposite corner. Once any characters venture to the center of the room, they will scurry from their nest and attack! A thorough search of the nest will yield the following items: 1 Widow Venom Sac, 2 pieces of Spider’s Silk, and a pair of inscribed leather spaulders.
Burial Chamber – 7
This small, dimly lit cavern holds a stone sarcophagus at its heart. The stone surface is etched with intricate carvings and the room exudes an aura of reverence.
In death, Barnabas Shadowhaven has become a Rotted One. He will rise from his final rest to attack the party as soon as they enter the chamber. Joining in the attack will be d12 Plague Rats who scurry from the walls.
Following the fight, surviving party members will discover a small chest within the sarcophagus. Contained withing are papers indicating that Shadowhaven had dabbled in necromancy prior to his death. Apparently he fancied the idea of becoming a lich but must have met his end prior to mastering the art. Also located within the chest are 32 silver pieces, a moss agate, a jade, and a cobalt ring.
Final Thoughts
I’ve kicked around the idea of a Warcraft themed campaign from time to time. My players tend to be folks with very little gaming experience (tabletop or otherwise), so it would allow me with a lore-rich setting to run a West Marches style campaign. Love it or hate it, I know I could do a session zero with a group of friends and play them the original World of Warcraft cinematic trailer to generate a great deal of excitement.
Thanks for stopping by. What experience if any have you had with World of Warcraft? Have you ever dabbled with the setting along with your ttrpgs? Have you played Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game or World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game. I’d be curious to hear about either, as they each were released while I was away from the hobby.
Over the years I’ve stumbled across some folks who have put quite a bit of work into some Warcraft resources for 5e. I’m thinking of going in another direction but if this sort of thing interests you, check out:
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This week I’m going to get to the bottom of things and expose the beast who has been terrorizing the village of Zarechka. With all of that aside I will wrap up by providing a number of suggestions and unanswered questions to hopefully spur ideas that you can use in your own games. For those of you who are just finding me, here are links to Part 1 & Part 2 respectively.
Up to this point the party’s investigations will point them toward the ruins of Kelthura. The remains of this ancient city are nestled at the foot of the mountains to the northeast. Little is known of the peoples who once lived there, though local legends claim that they were practitioners of dark magic. The ruins themselves are largely shunned by the locals and have gradually been swallowed up by the marsh over the years.
For the GM
It’s for good reason that all signs point toward the ruins of Kelthura. Unknown to the rest of the villagers, the young seamstress Anya Ivanovawould sometimes visit the marshy area to gather mushrooms and enjoy the solitude. Six weeks ago, on a day when the foraging was particularly fruitful, she ventured deep enough into the marsh to actually come face to face with some of the Kelthurian structures that still stand.
Something compelled the young woman to continue exploring until she came to a crumbling wall covered with crude paintings. The scene on the wall seemed to portray a wizard dealing with what seemed to be a creature that was part man but yet part beast. She was inexplicably fascinated with the paintings and followed them until the came to a pedestal upon which rested a large ruby. Mesmerized by the beauty of the jewel, Anya snatched up the gemstone and took it back to her modest home.
There was no way for the young seamstress to know what calamity this simple act would unleash. You see, ages ago, the city of Kelthura was home to practitioners of dark magic. One such magic user had summoned into the world a terrible creature, bent on carnage. The wizard had bound the beast to his will and used it to put an end to his enemies. However, when the creature became too much too control, the thaumaturge performed a ritual that placed the beast in stasis, as long as the ruby was undisturbed. Removing the ruby had ended that and deep within the marsh, an unspeakable evil awoke.
While Anya arrived safely home to her cottage that day, the beast had been awakened. From that day forward its unsatiable hunger drove it to venture out from the ruins in order to feed.
Through the first couple of attacks, she remained completely unaware that the creature preying on villagers had anything to do with the ruins. However, on the terrible day that she finally came face to face with beast, she immediately recalled the crude paintings on the walls in Kelthura. With her dying act she attempted to scrawl out a message to warn whoever might find her body.
The Beast of Zarechka
I wanted the creature terrorizing Zarechka to be something different altogether. When I first sat down to write this I was picturing a werewolf as being the culprit. From there I went to a barghest and even something as simple as a giant wolf. Instead, I settled on a custom creature that combines wolf and humanoid features. As I often do in my home games, I wanted to maintain an air of mystery that would make the adventure more engaging and memorable.
Since my posts are designed to simply provide little plot hooks and ideas for my readers, I’ll leave to true nature of the beast up to you. I suggest that you try to keep your players on their toes. Our players are frequently well-versed all of the different monsters in the published game books. The meta knowledge can really detract from what should be a chilling encounter.
The Beast of Zarechka is a terrifying creature that appears to be a hybrid of a wolf and a human. Standing 9 feet tall on its hind legs, the creature weighs nearly 400 pounds. Having olive colored skin, a well-muscled physique is visible from a frontal view. However, its back is covered from head to toe in jet black fur.
The monster has pointed ears and a mouth full of sharp, bestial teeth. Glowing red eyes seem to pierce through anyone who looks into them. Its hands are large and possess long, sharp claws, capable of tearing through flesh with ease. The creature’s legs are powerful and built like those of a great wolf. It moves with a grace and agility that belies its size and can seamlessly switch between sprinting on all fours and standing on two legs to fight or intimidate its prey.
Having spent an age in the ruins of Kelthura, the beast is still bound to the location. Whether this is due to some magical means or simply from a sense of familiarity, I will leave up to you. It ventures out to feed, ranging far enough to locate suitable prey but always returns to the ruins once sated. As such, it is likely that it will be in the marsh surrounding the ruins that the party will ultimately encounter the beast.
The Marsh
The villagers in Zarechka will gladly provide detailed directions to the marsh. As the party makes their way through the dense undergrowth, anyone with tracking or survival skills will pick up a trail. If the party investigated Dimitri Kozlov’s Farm, they would recognize these as being the same tracks. With the hind feet of a great wolf and occasional impressions of large, clawed human hands, they are indeed unique.
The ground beneath the party’s feet will gradually soften and the tracks will be easier to follow as they approach the marsh and the ruins of Kelthura. A broken stone bridge leads out into the stagnant water. Only a foot deep at the bank, the tracks clearly show that the beast passed through this way recently.
On the opposite bank, roughly 70’ away, the party will be able to make out some man-made structures. While crumbling and overgrown, these are the first signs of the ruins of Kelthura. If any of the party members set foot into the water, a piercing howl will ring out from across the way. Venturing forward, the party will find that the water is only 2’ deep, even at its deepest. Unfortunately, the water depth is not the problem. The same telltale mud that helped to direct the party here in the first place is also quite a hindrance. Consider this to be difficult terrain and movement speed will be halved.
After spending 1 full round in the water, characters will start to sink in the mud. At this point, to move through the mud, each party member must make a Strength check or Athletics check (whichever is higher). The DC will start at 12 for the lighter areas on the map and increase to 15 for the darker, more treacherous areas. If a party member fails this check, they become mired in the mud. They are restrained and unable to move until they are freed. A mired party member can be assisted by another party member who is not mired. The assisting character must use their action to make a successful Strength check or Athletics check against the same DC. If successful, they can pull their ally free from the mud.
As the party struggles through the treacherous mud, a chilling silence settles over the marsh. It’s at that point that the beast will attack. With a bestial howl, the beast rises from beneath the remnants of the bridge, on the small patch of dry land ahead.
As a lair action, I allow the beast to move through the water and mud while ignoring the penalties faced by the characters. In this manner I maintain some of the terror of the situation. Let’s face it, in real life (or even a movie) an encounter like this would be scary business. However, often in TTRPGs, the party can feel like a group of superheroes and a single foe is hardly intimidating. I opted for this as a way to ratchet up the tension. It allows this primal creature to move gracefully and attack where it will have the greatest impact. As with deciding upon the nature of the beast itself, choose its abilities based on what will best fit your game.
The Outcome
Assuming the party defeats the beast, they will surely want to return to Zarechka to claim their reward from mayor Russoff. However, there are quite a few other twists and turns that you could build on from here.
The ruins of Kelthura themselves could certainly be expanded upon. What mysteries and treasures lie deeper within the ruins? Certainly, the grateful people of Zarechka would be more that happy to allow the party to use the village as their base of operations for further exploration.
Will the party ever fi the ruby that Anya Ivanova discovered? If so, will they be able to puzzle out that the beast had been held in stasis for years? Are there other being held in a similar state?
While it didn’t come into play for this adventure, one of the rumors mentioned that old man Igor believed the attacks were the result of a curse brought upon the village by a witch who had been banished years ago. Is she still out there and will all of the recent commotion bring her around?
Closing Thoughts
This one got away from me a bit. My intention has always been to focus on “bite-sized” source material and I don’t think a 3-parter fits well within that framework.
Depending on the system that you are running, this will require some work on your part (particularly in terms of the nature of the beast and the mechanics of the marsh battle). That said, please understand that I’m merely trying to provide snippets of ideas for you to build on. Remember, everything can be tailored to fit your party’s power level and preferences. Feel free to adapt and modify everything to suit your game and create an exciting and memorable encounter. Take what you want and leave the rest.
I appreciate you taking the time to stop by. If you’ve found any of this useful, please drop a note in the comments and if you’d like to see some of my other creations, I’ve listed them here. Thanks and have a great week!
Talaraska 