Author: Mike Gould

  Introduction: One trope in D&D that needs work is the concept of the encounter as a “one thing shows up and does one other thing.” There should be no reason why, unless otherwise specified, that multiple monsters of similar alignments and motivations would not work together.

Similarly, if these creatures work together more than once, they should have some sense of how each other works as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Grouping like-minded individuals might turn what would be a typical encounter into something a little less predictable.

  The following is one such encounter where two monsters, tactically minded and ruthless in combat, work together to create a small fighting force that would be dangerous to deal with, especially in a confined setting where collateral damage is something to consider.

As an example of this, I am presenting two races that fit the bill – Fire Giants and Hobgoblins. Both love war, are tactically sound, and would likely work in concert to achieve a goal. Both share the Lawful Evil alignment, so you can expect them to behave in similar fashions and seek similar solutions to the same problems.

  In the correct environment to add complications, and you have a problem that needs to be solved – quickly! The introduction of this encounter might well be used as a doorway to start an adventure, so this could be the start of something larger.

Environment: Urban/Small Town

Suggested level:  10

Introduction:

  This is yet another dungeon-based encounter. It uses spells instead of monsters for it’s basis, and provides a minor puzzle. Depending on how this goes, the players could receive a boon, a trap, or even a future adventure. To be fair, since everything in this encounter is completely based upon player choice, they are truly in control of how good or bad this goes. This will be player agency in action.

  An encounter like this might give a DM who might be running a lot of combat-based encounters a chance to switch things up a bit. Mind you, if they set off the trap in this encounter, they might get the sort of combat they might be looking for.

Environment: Dungeon

Suggested level: Any

  As the characters enter this chamber, they will be struck by it’s ancient and ritualistic feel. Ancient carved reliefs decorate all of the walls, and depict several scenes. (I see them in an ancient Mayan or Aztec style, but feel free to use whatever fits your campaign). When you enter this chamber, you enter a long and rectangular room. Your entrance is in the center of a 20’ wall, and the room extends out from this entrance to a distance of 40’. A raised stepped platform occupies the furthest 10’ of the room. Upon this platform is a stone plinth with what looks like three heads upon it.

  Should the players choose to examine the carved reliefs on the walls, allow them a relatively easy Investigation (DC: 10) to discover the following:

  The left wall depicts scenes of ancient figures in tribal garments. They are kneeling with hands raised upward. Rays of light or energy beam down from above upon them.

  The right wall shows figures in tribal garb cowering before an oversized figure wearing an elaborate feather head dress and wielding a massive saw-toothed blade. A halo of blades hovers above the head of the oversized figure.

  The far wall behind the plinth shows a depiction where tribal figures worship some sort of small sphere.

Introduction: 

  The Monster Manual is loaded with a lot of gems that seem to go unnoticed. The Templates are but one of them. Templates are a great way to take what the players are familiar with and shaking them up. What this does is two-fold. First, it generates an encounter that the players are not ready for. That is it’s own reward, as it freshens up what would be a very ordinary, and possibly predictable, encounter. Secondly, it takes that omni-present “metagame” aspect and turns it on it’s head. Ask a DM what value they would place on making that one experienced meta-gaming rules lawyer at their table give the “WTF?” expression, and I’ll bet that they’d rate it pretty high.

  The following encounter is intended to do both. It applies the “Half-Dragon” template to something that we would normally not consider. As per the “Half-Dragon” template, we can apply it to a beast, humanoid or giant. That’s a lot of choice. This is but one example of such an application, and might open up a series of encounters where one rather amorous dragon has seeded a campaign with it’s brethren, creating a whole list of choice encounters. One would have to finally convince the dragon of the concept of “planned parenthood” to end this series of events – a discussion I’ll leave to your players.

Introduction:

  A fact that goes unnoticed in many environments or campaigns is the importance of rivers. Rivers were   the first highways of the ancient world, and are still major thoroughfares to this day. The same should be true in a fantasy setting. Rivers should be a constant resource for encounters of all kinds, be it lizardmen, pirates, goblins in rickety steamships, or orcs in war canoes. In this instance, however, I will draw from ancient history and base this encounter around a funeral procession.

  To build on that concept, this funeral procession is not just a funeral barge, but an elaborately carved vessel with a large single sail and a single cabin. Imagine, then, that this vessel is not of this world, but the next. The vessel itself is an expression of the Shadowfell. Now you have a river encounter that you could have at night, with all the haunting dread of what happens when the dead meet the living…

  The intent behind this encounter is simple – sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone. Curiosity killed the cat for a reason. In this case, that cat might end up worse than dead.

Environment: Wilderness/Waterway.

Suggested level: 8 (could be significantly higher – see below)

  Either while traveling a waterway at night, or while berthed at the river’s edge, the characters will see a vessel moving quietly in their direction. It will be difficult to see at first, even with Darkvision, as the ship is almost completely made of a black wood. As it closes, lanterns hanging from the bow and stern become visible, much like in a dream when one accepts that things “were always there, even when you did not see them before.” Their green glow barely illuminates the deck of the ship. Gold inlaid engravings and other scroll-work decorate the upper edge of the hull along it’ length. A single mast upon which flutters a single almost ephemeral sail stands at the center of the deck of this nearly 100’ long vessel. Long and narrow, it’s 13’ wide hull cuts the water almost silently. A single steersman in ritual hooded regalia mans the till at the stern, while a single similarly-dressed watchman stands silently at the prow. A small and elaborately decorated cabin, only 5’ tall, but at least 10’ wide and 10’ long sits just behind the mast. It is covered in further elaborate and gold-inlaid carvings in some ancient language.

  The whole craft moves unerringly upstream, as if moved by unseen oars, yet without disturbing the water at all.

Introduction:

There’s an old cliche that states “not everything is as it seems.” Of all the genres in gaming, books, or   movies, Horror follows this the most. Good horror has a bait and switch, or a surprise hook, that takes the viewer by surprise. There are many foes within the Monster Manual capable of this with the right delivery. What should follow is the generation of tension, and perhaps a little player paranoia, to add depth to the next few encounters. The right moment or delivery of this “bait and switch” can set the tone and give your players pause.

  The following encounter, “The Passenger”, is but one example. The foe that is presented here can not only be utilized with every single NPC and beast in the back of the Monster Manual, but with almost every living monster in the Monster Manual – so long as it has a brain.

  In fact , the methodology for this foe has been seen in horror many times, from the Alien franchise, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thing, the Half-Life computer game, and basically every possession movie.

  It can be anywhere. It can be anyone. It could be the person standing right next to you…or the duke’s loyal hunting dog at his feet. Anyone.

Environment: Anywhere….

Suggested level: 2+ (see below)

  It’s always important to read the flavor text. For monsters, magic items, and spells, the flavor text can turn a blase encounter into something more. This very encounter is based upon the little details of one spell – Polymorph. (Page 266 of the Player’s Handbook) However, instead of just using that spell as written, what if you created a special region affected by the spell, and tweaked it in such a way as to give the players more agency within the confines of this encounter? What if that special region was a Wild Magic zone? Mayhem!

Environment: Wilderness.

Suggested level: any, but it should be high enough to justify the possible treasure.

  The party might be travelling along a lonely road or twisting path through dense woods, and the foliage seems to abruptly open into a single but large glade. The glade is enormous, and appears for all intents and purposes to be roughly circular. At the centre of this glade is a thick and tangled copse of trees, vines, and brambles. The central tree is an ancient oak, twisted and enormous. It’s branches both reach to the sky and bend to the ground like an umbrella. Woven within these branches, innumerable vines twist and turn like a green tangle of webs, dotted by large white lily-like flowers. Shooting from the ground and entangled among the vines and trees are an equally abundant number of thorny brambles.

Not every encounter requires a lot of set up or preparation. Some encounters just need the players to show up and be willing to have a good time. “Shell Game” is one such encounter. It uses the resources on the table as the encounter starts, and uses those limited resources to maximum effect to create an oddball moment that might come up in later conversations. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Environment: Dungeon, but anywhere you wish to set up the conditions.

Suggested level: any.

The characters will enter upon a room or cavern that present the players with a series of challenging puzzles. There should be a Strength challenge, a Dexterity challenge, and an Intelligence/Wisdom challenge. This series of puzzles are essential to proceeding to the next room.

  Example:

  The players enter a chamber that is perhaps 30’ in diameter, but soars upward like a cylinder with a ceiling at least 100’ above them. Looking way up, faintly lit by bio-luminescent fungi, is the outline of the exit way above. No rope, ladder, steps, or handholds exist to reach this upper exit.

  Presented before the players will be a series of odd geometric shapes carved from a variety of substances like wood, stone, and crystal. Each item has a unique shape, and are scattered randomly around the room.

Introduction:

I can’t speak for other players or DM’s, but I get a lot of my inspiration from music. The simple act of listening to the radio in my car, or a playlist on my phone while showering, can lead to outbursts of “I have to write that down!” Songs inspire character concepts, back stories, encounters, scenes I want to lay out for my players, or images that lead to character sketches and other artwork. This encounter was inspired when I heard “Albatross” by Big Wreck.

  In this encounter, “The Albatross” is a metaphor. Since “Rhyme of The Ancient Mariner”, the concept of “wearing the albatross” (aside from one Monty Python sketch) as come to mean being saddled with a burden or a debt to be repaid. It could mean being wrongfully vilified, perhaps even willingly so, just to serve a greater good. It could mean bearing an immense responsibility, or taking on a curse to save another from it.

  In this case, “The Albatross” will create a burden, and in an environment or setting not normally expressed in a tabletop game, but which occurs frequently in an online RPG setting – the escort mission. The intent is to test the resolve of the party, as well as the willingness to share a burden.

Environment: Wilderness, but it could be anywhere travel is required.

Suggested level: variable.

Perhaps as the party travels through the wilderness  in a twisting forest road,  a hazardous mountain trail, or fog-covered tangled swamp passage, the party will hear the faint cries for help. A successful Perception (DC: 12) will determine it to be female, but in a voice that doesn’t sound human. If the party would like to find the source of this voice, they will need to make either a successful Survival (DC: 13) or Investigation (same DC) roll.

Introduction:

  Players and characters have a wide array of value sets and see value in many things. The vast majority see value in monetary things, but this may simply a pragmatic outlook and not greed. The reality is that things generally cost money. However, many others place value on the intangible. Some place value in concepts or ideals. Love, honour, faith, hope, justice, and freedom…, or even death, carnage, corruption and tyranny. Add to that a bit of flavor text I read in the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, and we have an encounter.

  This encounter touches on that overarching theme of value in a small way. What do the players value or deem sacred?

Environment: Dungeon/Urban/Wilderness…anywhere you want a fountain.

Suggested level: variable. (1-6)

( The players will come upon an elaborate fountain with a floating statue above it. The fountain is 10’ in diameter, only two feet deep, and filled to a depth of 1’ with clear water. Above it floats an unusual and very striking statue. The 10’ tall statue is of two women in robes facing away from each other, but with their arms interlocked at the elbows. This statue floats five feet above the top of the pool. It is itself surrounded by stone statues of warriors in armor. which stand 6’ tall and float in an orbit around the main statues. This series of smaller statues, as well as the main statue, slowing spin in a circle, like a very slowly spinning top held aloft in the air.