A series of encounters for 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons* written by Mike Gould cover art and “Eyeroll” logo by Mike Gould DISCLAIMER: Dungeons & Dragons, as well any references to the Players Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Volo’s Guide to Monsters are wholly owned properties of Wizards of The Coast LLC. The death, dismemberment, petrification, incineration, drowning, possession, conversion to undeath, or other means of harm to player characters through the usage of these encounters are not the responsibility of Wizards of the Coast LLC, Mike Gould, or Nerdarchy. It was that eye inside the d20 the whole time. I mean, really.. Look at him. He’s ben watching you this whole time. I bet he has snacks in that d20. And pizza. And soda. And he’s not sharing. And scheming. Always scheming... Table of Contents Encounter (level) Page Encounter Page #1 Chickening Out 2 #29 Dogs of War 53 #2 A Friend in Need 3 #30 Fire for Effect 55 #3 All That Remains 4 #31 Dinner Party 58 #4 Gone But Not Forgotten 5 #32 Phoba’s Bet 60 #5 The Dance Macabre 7 #33 Wooden Dragon 62 #6 Auntie Knows Best 8 #34 Madam Versiliplex’s Magical Wonders 64 #7 Down on the Farm 9 #35 The Girl with the Dragon SNAFU 67 #8 Mirror, Mirror 11 #36 Heart of Darkness 71 #9 Island in the Storm 12 #37 A Walk in the Woods 73 #10 A Standing Warning 14 #38 Slither 75 #11 Rube’s Cube 14 #39 Enemy at the Gate 77 #12 Aces High 16 #40 Three Eyes are Better 79 #13 Coin Flip 19 #41 Backstabber 83 #14 The Argument 21 #42 Fibble’s Fantastic Familiars 85 #15 The Eyes Have It 23 #43 The Beast of Bellard 89 #16 Mirrors of The Soul 26 #44 Old Yeller 92 #17 Fountain of Fortunes 29 #45 Gang of One 94 #18 The Albatross 31 #46 Pay to Play 96 #19 Shell Game 34 #47 Shadow of Your Former Self 98 #20 The Menagerie 35 #48 Smells Fishy 100 #21 Counting Sheep 37 #49 One Crow, Two Crow, Three Crow, 102 Scarecrow #22 The Passenger 39 #50 All That Glitters 104 #23 Watchdog 41 #24 The Balance 43 #25 Procession 45 #26 Ribbet, Ribbet, WHOOSH! 47 #27 Jailbreak 49 #28 Council of Three 51 Chickening Out Introduction: Travel is often taken for granted. Whether over land or by sea, this can be made into an opportunity to create dynamic encounters. Furthermore, what might be a typical such encounter like other ships, and indeed pirate ships, might be smugglers as well. What happens when that’s being smuggled decides that it doesn’t like being smuggled? Environment: Aquatic/ Ship bourne. Suggested level: 3-4 Description: While travelling at sea/large body of water, the watch aboard ship will spot an approaching vessel, which, by all estimates, will pass by the players ship very closely. Attempts to avoid a collision seems fruitless, as the approaching vessel seems to be weaving back and forth, almost as if anticipating the player’ s ship. The movements of the approaching ship will appear erratic and odd, as if the other vessel is not completely under control. In the end, the approaching ship will veer at the last second and come alongside, grinding ship against ship in the process. Boarding grapnels will shoot forth from the deck of the “enemy ship”, and it will appear that the players’ ship is about to be boarded. Once secured, the anticipated attack becomes a disorderly disembarking. The crew of the opposite ship will rush past any defenders, regardless of opportunity attacks. Their terror will be evident. The noise of panic mixed with squawking can be heard bellowing from below the decks of the other ship, with occasional loud thumps and a spray of feathers rising from the entrance to the hold below. The ship is crewed by smugglers, hired to ship, among other things, a crate of live cockatrices. The cockatrices were in a magical stasis. What they did not know is that the crate had been weakened by mice who burrowed in search of food, who then mistakenly activated the monsters and were eaten by the cockatrices within. Awake, angry, and in full panic, these squawking monstrosities broke free of their confinement and took out their rage on the startled crew. Some of the crew have been petrified below decks. Those that managed to escape have been desperate to escape their ship. When they saw the players vessel, they saw their chance to jump ship and escape a death by beak, claw, petrification or drowning. The crew have no interest in returning to their ship, and would rather hijack the players’ vessel and make their break for freedom. Monsters: Smuggler pirates (6): Use “Guard” as per Monster Manual, but change armor to Studded Leather and change weapons to Scimitar and Dagger Smuggler captain(1): Use “Bandit Captain” as per Monster Manual. Cockatrices (4): Standard as per Monster Manual. Use as many as needed to create panic. Three or four is fair. More if needed. Complications: The cockatrices have laid eggs that could hatch at any time. The attacking ship, if abandoned, might well become a floating “island sanctuary” for a whole flock of cockatrices. This might become it’s own wandering encounter if left alone. The monstrosities will survive on the rats aboard ship at first, then seagulls and other waterfowl when those run out. If the cockatrices pursue the escaping crew aboard the player’s vessel, an egg or two might be laid there as well for future encounters. If the players’ vessel has food stores that would attract a cockatrice, there’s a decent chance that one or more might stow away aboard the players’ ship as well. 2 A Friend in Need Introduction: Symbiotic relationships exist in nature, as do social groups. We have accepted this fact for many years. We see it in insects, mammals, reptiles, and even people. So why not monsters? Friend in Need explores such a relationship where two creatures, an Oytugh and a Mimic, share a living space, companionship, and tactics. Environment: Variable** Suggested Level: 5-7 ** The environment for this encounter was originally intended as a Wilderness encounter, but there’s no reason why such a location might be found in an urban environment. It could even occur withing a dungeon setting, as outhouses/toilets occur wherever “civilization” may occur. Description: As the party traverses a lonely country road, they happen upon the ruins of what must have been an old cottage . A large tree has fallen from natural causes and has destroyed the building by falling through the roof. The only structure that remains intact is the former residents’ outhouse, which escaped the fate of the main building by only a few feet. Though a crack in the wall of the outhouse, a glimmer of light can be seen. Investigation of the main farmhouse will reveal harmless vermin, weathered and tattered wreckage of furniture, and collapsed walls. Shrubs now sprout through the floorboards and moss has begun to grow on the inner walls. There is barely enough roof left for any sort of shelter, as the massive tree that fell upon the roof of this structure crushed at least 75% of it inward. Should the party investigate the outhouse, what they will discover is that the glimmer seen before is the remnants of a mirror hung on the back wall of the outhouse. The open seat of the outhouse remains intact, and it is the usual single-hole sort of layout. The smell of dung hangs heavy in the air. What will intrigue the party is that something else is reflecting light from below. Spaces between the planks in the roof allow some sunlight through, which shines into the toilet hole, and is reflecting light. That light is being caught in the mirror. The entire bench seat of the outhouse is a Mimic. It is working in tandem with it’s best friend, the Oytugh in a large pit below, to snare prey and feast on unsuspecting travellers. The shine is produced from treasure below that has fallen from several travellers who have been taken in by this ruse and their own curiosity. If the Mimic drops below 50% hit points the Oytugh will engage from below via it’s tentacles. Monsters: Mimic (1) - p. 220 of Monster Manual Oytugh (1) - p. 248 of Monster Manual Treasure: Level: 6 hoard - Default: 2000sp, 500gp. Complications: There is a decent chance that one or more players will be infected with a Disease as per the Oytugh entry. If you so desire, add wild berries and other healing flora to the area or inside the ruined cottage to assist in Constitution saves to cure the infection. If the players try to shift or move around the structure or tree inside the cottage, there might be a complete collapse. An Investigation (DC:10) roll will reveal this. If they ignore this fact and proceed anyway, this will result in a Dex (DC :15) Save to escape the structure or take 2d10 Bludgeoning damage. 3 All That Remains Introduction: A lot of emphasis is placed on encounters being combat. Wandering encounters have likely accounted for more player character deaths than any other. That in of itself isn’t the problem. It’s that they usually strike when the players are down and wounded. At times like these, wouldn;t it be just as fun to throw something at the players that is equally fun and not as dangerous? Environment: Various Suggested level: Any Description: On a foggy day, the adventuring party encounter either a cliff side that has been sheared away with precision, or perhaps a large monolith, or the remains of a wall to an ancient structure.