An endless stream of random encounters

[Imaculata]

The old broken aqueduct

The players encounter an old broken aqueduct. A simple sandy road passes beneath it, but the ancient stone structure has collapsed where it crosses the road. It seems the debris has been cleared a long time ago. There is a forested ravine on one side of the road, where some remains of the aqueduct can be seen near the bottom, along with a few broken support columns sticking out through the trees. On the opposite side of the road is a steep forested hill, where the aqueduct is at its lowest height. The structure can be seen from quite a distance, although it is mostly obscured by trees here. The players can get water at the aqueduct, but with a successful Intelligence (nature) check they may determine that the water is old and stale, and may make them sick. Alternatively the DM may decide that the water is fresh and harmless. The DM may also rule that hostile intelligent creatures have made the ruined aqueduct their home, and block the players from passing. The aqueduct is 160 ft. tall at its highest point.

The devastated forest

The party passes through a forest where many trees have been destroyed and/or overturned. It seems a great beast must have violently passed through (or over) the forest, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. The forest is difficult terrain and slows the movement of the players. Depending on the type of beast responsible, the DM may also throw in other details regarding the devastation. If the players get involved in combat in this forest, all the overturned trees and uprooted plants, greatly hamper their movement.

Fertility Festival

A local settlement is celebrating a fertility festival in honor of a local fertility deity. A golden statue of the deity is prominently displayed on the town square while flower-necklaces are handed out to people by handsome boys and girls. Monks wearing a headdress in the shape of the patron animal of the deity, scatter flowers on the floor and hand out wooden statues of the deity, as they lead a procession through town. The festival involves much music, dancing, drinking, and unruly behavior, with a lot of skimpy clothing and costumes. Young and old take part in the festivities, and inns and taverns do good business on this day. The festivities last until the next morning.

The Whispering Sword

In an ancient nearby tomb lies a magical sword, waiting for a hero to pick it up, and fulfill its desire for vengeance. The sword whispers to people when they sleep near the tomb, giving them visions of where the tomb is, and pleading to them to help fulfill the sword's purpose. The dreams may even cause them to sleep-walk all the way to the location of the tomb, but once they reach the entrance, they always wake up. Opening the tomb requires a modest strength check. Inside the tomb is the final resting place of the sword's previous owner. He/she was unable to complete their quest, and was buried with the sword. The sword is intelligent and has magical properties. After being picked up, it will occasionally whisper to its new owner if they stray too much from the sword's intended goal: To slay the villain that its former owner intended to kill. Once that goal is completed, the sword thanks the wielder, and becomes a normal sword again.

Big pile of something

The party encounters a big pile of droppings by a giant creature. A sample can be taken for use as a magical ingredient, and the smell of it tends to keep local wildlife at bay. Don't expect to be welcomed into any inns or taverns though.

 

[Grumbleputty]

Theater in the Round
In a sunlit glade some ways outside a small town sits a ring of 15 simple wooden chairs, arranged in a circle 30' in diameter. Despite their ordinary appearances, the chairs are infused with magic, cannot be moved and are seemingly indestructible. Villagers living nearby are well aware of the chairs, which have stood for as long as anyone can remember, and they shun the area- most are convinced that sitting in the chairs will bring great misfortune, although no one can agree what form the curse takes or why.

If 15 people sit in the chairs simultaneously, the ghostly form of an ancient orator will appear in the center of the circle and deliver a length speech on the role of intelligent beings in the cosmos, the power of compassion and the benefits of eating a healthy diet. All who listen to the speech gain the benefits of a Beacon of Hope spell, with a duration lasting one month. Once the speech has been delivered, the chairs lose their enchantment and become ordinary furniture, and the orator will not return.

The Revenant
The party spies a gaunt, corpse-like figure standing on a windswept cliff, staring out to sea. If the party approaches peacefully, they may learn that the creature is a Revenant, and that today is the anniversary of it's terrible death. The target of its' rage is aboard a ship, now sailing over the horizon, and within a few hours the creature will crumble to dust, without having achieved its' revenge.

It is entirely up to the party whether or not to take up the being's quest- the foe it seeks may be the Big Bad from the players' campaign, or an unrelated side-quest. It may even be that the target is someone they thought of as an ally, and this may bring questions to mind about how much this ally should be trusted.

If they do take on the quest and fulfill the revenant's quest for vengeance, the party may gain a blessing or charm of some appropriate sort.

Burn the Witch
The party comes across a dozen or so wild-eyed villagers, dragging a neighboring family toward four hastily constructed pyres, clearly intent on burning the poor souls alive. If asked, the villagers offer various stories of misfortunes that have befallen them, and will present evidence that the family have caused the ailments through witchcraft and sorcery. To make it interesting, some of the evidence could be quite convincing.

If the party buys some time to investigate, they may discover that the source of the villagers' problems is a small group of imps, who have caused all manner of misfortune and left a trail of evidence to implicate the innocent family.

The Sanctum
The party stumbles across a campsite deep in the wilderness- a fire burns brightly, food sits out on a nearby table and comfortable bedrolls have been laid out in neat rows. The entire area (60' radius) is infused with Evocation magic, and the party might be able to determine that the area is under the effects of a Hallow spell.

The spot is exactly as it seems, a perfectly safe resting place for all who pass this way. Expect this to drive the party crazy.

The Seaside Village
The party comes across a seaside village, which has recently been destroyed. Signs of a desperate battle are all around, although neither survivors nor bodies can be found anywhere. The sand along the beach is carved with a great furrow, as though something massive was dragged up out of the water and then returned beneath the waves. There are also dozens of webbed footprints in the sand, and indications that bodies were dragged from the village towards whatever huge thing emerged from beneath the waves.

 

[Imaculata]

Goblin merchants

A friendly caravan of goblin merchants passes the party on the road. The goblins are armed, and many of them wear oversized helmets and armor that are probably stolen. They will try to sell the players their wears, but the goods seem a bit fishy. The players may be able to determine that the goods are stolen, and that the former owners are dead. The goblins may be responsible for these deaths, or they may be indirectly responsible for leading the former owners to their death and then taking their stuff. Some of the items that the goblins are trying to sell may be magical and/or cursed, since none of them identified the items at all. They will try to sell just about any magical potion and pass it off as a healing potion, with no knowledge of what the potion actually does. The players should be cautious before making any rushed purchases, but they may also be able to get a valuable item for cheap, as long as the goblins don't catch on how much it is really worth. The goblins will immediately raise the price of any item that the players seem really interested in. The goblins may turn hostile if the players are giving them too much trouble, or asking too many inconvenient questions.

Goblin village

The players stumble upon a small goblin village in a rocky area. The village is densely populated, and houses are build wall-to-wall, often leaning sideways or forward. The goblins are neutral towards the players, though they could quickly summon an impressive army if the players show hostile behavior. Both the goblins and their village show very poor hygiene and sloppy construction. The goblins are eager to extend their services to adventurers, though they are also eager to raise the prices if the adventurers seem able to afford it. Most of the establishments are not built with medium sized creatures in mind, which could cause quite some discomfort to some of the players if they visit an inn or tavern. It is better to distrust any food that the goblins try to sell the players, and any other merchandise they try to sell is often overpriced and of questionable quality.

 

[Grumbleputty]

Meet the Press
Deep in a catacomb, the party stumbles across three ragged survivors of a previous adventuring party- in this instance, a portrait artist, a minstrel and a talented but low-level bard. They were hired to accompany the other band of heroes and record their heroic exploits, but sadly the other party was wiped out, leaving only these bedraggled, half-starved survivors.

The artisans happily offer to record the party's own heroic exploits if they allow them to join the party. The bard's mildly-cursed instrument, however, inspires him to create music that tends to cause dissent- songs that point out foibles, magnify disagreements between party members and inflame rivalries. Should the party prove themselves, however, it's likely someday they'll be in a tavern and hear a song about themselves. Either way, the party is now adventuring for an audience, which could change their behavior in interesting ways.

The Landing
The party comes across a long furrow of scorched earth and stone, as though something large and heavy gouged itself into the earth. At the end of the furrow is a smooth sphere, about 3' in diameter, which has cracked in half.

In the sand nearby the party spots the marks of a crawling infant, which after about 15' become the toddling footprints of a child. The footprints grow as the party follows them, reaching the size of a powerfully built adult before the trail is lost.

A Walk in the Park
In the center of a thriving, bustling metropolis sits a large park area, a half-mile long and a quarter-mile wide. Here wildlife flourishes, and all manner of fey creature can be glimpsed- although many have a sinister cast to them. The locals visit the park warily, usually only using the open fields on the outskirts, rarely using the paths through the middle, and never entering at night.

The park exists solely because of a powerful druid from long ago, when the city was just starting to grow. The druid fought to maintain her precious patch of forest, even as civilization came to the area and eventually surrounded her woods. She knew when she passed the city would completely engulf her lands, so in desperation she took the dark steps to becoming a druidic lich. Now she sits at the center of her domain, certain to protect her woodland for all eternity.

The Quandary
Looking for a cave entrance leading to their next adventure, the party stumbles across a company of knights, arguing fiercely. They stumbled across a family of Drow Elves and their (now former) slaves, who had been driven to the surface by political infighting among their kind. The Drow were captured without a fight, and now sit miserably in steel cages, awaiting their fate.

The Knights are divided almost equally about what to do with their captives- they were passing through in the course of a long journey, and all agree this is a frustrating distraction. One faction argues strongly for putting the Drow to death- they are clearly and detectably evil, and mistreated their slaves terribly. If the Drow were set free, this faction argues, they would strive to return to power among their people and return to their evil ways- if asked, the haughty Drow Matron of the family says very little to suggest otherwise.

The second faction believes it would be dishonorable to harm the Drow, who surrendered without a fight and have several non-combatants among them. Furthermore, to even turn the Drow over to local authorities would surely lead to their deaths, no different than if the Knights hacked them down themselves. The only course of action that makes sense, they argue, is to set the Drow free so the Knights can continue on their journey to serve a much greater good.

To complicate matters, about half of the Drow's former slaves are themselves from evil races- the Knights are also in disagreement about whether freeing some slaves and killing others would be justified, or if all of the slaves must be given their freedom even if many will continue to be evil.

The party could probably tip the balance toward either faction with a few skill-checks, or could propose a third solution. They might listen to the whispered offers from the Drow themselves, for treasure and magic as a reward for helping them escape and confront their rivals in the Underdark. Or, if the party is wise, they may just want to keep riding past...

The White Stag:
As the party crosses through a desolate wilderness, a large Stag with a dazzling white hide steps into the path ahead of them and fixes the party with a with deep, intelligent gaze before dashing into the woods.

Each of the party members have heard legends of the magic of the White Stag, although no two have heard the same story. Encourage your players to take 15 minutes and devise the story their character heard growing up- all should have some fabulous treasure for those who capture the White Stag, and some dire fate for those who fail. Let the party members all quickly swap their stories- then, should the party choose to pursue the Stag, use what bits you like to determine their real rewards or fates. Or ignore it all- maybe it's just an ordinary white deer.

 

[Green Dragon]

Encounter. Your party comes to a river in the forest. An old man is navigating a small barge up the river. Looking into the barge it is full of meat. Without warning, a bear comes up behind the party. On the other side of the river, you see hungry wolves slink out of the dark forest.

 

[Imaculata]

The curious bard

The party encounters a bard, who asks if he may travel with the party for a while (or until they reach the next settlement). He'll inquire about their adventures, and make their tales into a song. Weeks later the players may notice that other bards have copied the song and sing it at other taverns. There may be slight variations between the different versions of the song, and depending on the bard singing it, there may even be omissions or errors in the telling of the tale. While none of the PC's are named in the song, many a man will be eager to claim that the song is about him.

The Portrait

On a market the players pass by a small stand where an antique dealer sells old paintings. One portrait shares a stunning likeness to one of the party members, but dressed in very expensive clothes. A distant relative perhaps? Or has the PC been keeping something a secret from his fellow party members?

No good deed

A local monk asks the players to share some food for the poor. The monk will venture into the poor districts of town later that day, to hand out the food to the needy and the hungry, as he has done for many years. But the next day the monk turns up dead; the victim of a heinous crime. The players may hear about it from the city guards, or from the locals in the tavern. Everyone is stunned to hear that such an honest good man would be murdered in cold blood. His death may tie into the main plot of the campaign in some way, or a side quest, or he may simply be the victim of a mugging gone wrong.

The pet rock

The party encounters an animated rock, that rolls after one of the party members. The rock seems to be sentient due to a magic spell. It may have been animated deliberately, or by accident by an amateur wizard. The rock understand simple commands, and is small enough to fit in one's hand. The rock lacks any limbs and so it cannot manipulate any objects. It is also unable to talk, but it understands common. It is also unable to jump, but may be able to roll across a ramp to become air born. Stairs however, are a big problem for the little thing. The pet rock doesn't need air, and can roll across the bottom of a lake (if a bit slow) without needing to breath. A dispel magic will turn it back into a lifeless rock, and crushing damage reduces it to dust. The pet rock is light and strong enough to survive falling damage from most altitudes.

Salmon crossing

The party encounters a natural ford in the river, where dozens of salmon are hopping across. Various locals are standing around with nets, because the salmon are easy to catch. The players can join in and try to catch some fish themselves.

The magnificent airship

The players pass by a lake, where an incredible looking airship has stopped to get water. Normally the airship would do so without putting boots on the ground, but due to a defect (or battle damage) someone has to operate the water-lifting buckets manually. Four armed crew members (armed with a powerful ranged weapon) stand guard as a fifth secures buckets of water to a line, so it can be lifted up to the airship. The players can inquire about what the crew have seen, and they'll be able to inform the players of any fires, wars, or dragons nearby. The crew of the airship are distrusting of any curious onlookers, and the players would need to convince them of their good intentions if they want to hitch a ride. The airship is a gargantuan vehicle, similar in design to a zeppelin. However, the airship is also armed with several siege weapons and a large harpoon gun on the bow.

The scarecrow



A frightened farmer and an embarrassed wizard stand on the edge of a cornfield, gazing at the middle of the field. When asked what has the two so rattled, they point to an animated scarecrow that is leering at them from the field. The wizard admits that he made a bit of a mistake when trying to assist the farmer with his magic. The thing was supposed to only scare the birds, but after the wizard's spell the scarecrow is now absolutely terrifying, and dangerous too. It holds the farmer's scythe, and its eyes have an ominous yellow glow. The farmer pleads to the players to kill the thing. But as soon as the players enter the field, the scarecrow vanishes, and readies an ambush. The scarecrow takes double damage from fire and can also be dispelled. The cornfield is a bit of a maze, with plenty of opportunities for the scarecrow to ambush the players. The scarecrow attacks with the farmer's scythe and is resistant to blunt weapons.

The Weeping Widow

A lady dressed in black sits next to a monument on the town/city square. She is mourning the loss of her husband. She will gladly talk to the players and share her mournful tale. But when the players mention her in the presence of other town's people, or when one of the town's people sees the players talking to her, they will encourage them not to do so. They reveal that she is in fact a ghost, and that she only shows herself to some people. They often see people stop to talk to no one near the monument. It is a haunting that many of the locals are familiar with. The players may be able to lay her to rest if they have a priest, or maybe the death of her husband ties into the plot some how.

 

[akr71]

@Imaculata I am totally using The Curious Bard in my next session. Hopefully, some fame will take the sting out of the near TPK last night

The Knight's Bridge
The party arrives at a swift stream with steep, deep banks. A sturdy narrow bridge made of felled trees seems to be the only nearby crossing. Standing in the middle of the bridge is a human in plate armor, leaning on a great sword. As the party approaches, the Knight stands at attention, readying the weapon "Who approaches this bridge and what is your business!" the knight bellows. When/if the party answers, the knight replies "Are you challenging me?" If the answer is no, the knight moves aside and lets them pass, if the answer is yes, the knight approaches, weapon raised. "One on one combat, no interference. The first to fall is the new guardian of the bridge." Indeed, if the challenger falls to the knight, they are bound to the bridge until they fall in combat to another challenger.

 

[Imaculata]

Dead cattle

The party encounters a herd of dead cattle on the road. No human corpses can be found, though it seems a farmer may have been leading his herd to another pasture. The DM can roll randomly to determine the fate of the herd:

1: A dragon attacked the herd and ate the farmer.
2: Huge vermin are eating the cattle from the inside. They lie in wait for an ambush. The farmer fled and can be encountered further down the road.
3: A purple magical vapor hangs over the dead herd; a poisonous and deadly mist. The clouds cover a large area of the land; The result of a magical mishap.
4: The cattle is in fact undead and only playing dead. They rise if the players get close.
5: A flock of griffons is nesting nearby. It attacked the herd to feed their young. The farmer fled.
6: A band of thugs killed the herd when the farmer refused to pay them.
7: An ettin is throwing cattle down the mountain for its own sick entertainment.
8: Underground creatures attacked the cattle from below. They are no longer near, but under the ground is a vast maze of tunnels.

Heavy lifting

A carriage is stuck at a wooden bridge and two men are trying to lift it up with a pole. One of its wheels broke through the wooden boards, and now it is stuck in the gap. The carriage can be lifted up with a group strength check, after which the carriage drivers will gladly offer the party a ride to the nearest settlement.

 

[Grumbleputty]

Imaculata, option #2 in Dead Cattle is exactly the sort of sick genius I admire!

Here's one I've got in the adventure I'm currently writing-it's very similar to Imaculata's Weeping Widow, which inspired me to share it

While searching a graveyard for a group of people who disappeared, the party comes across a strange scene. Lying at the base of a commemorative fountain is one of the escorts of the missing people, with a crossbow bolt in her stomach, unconscious and near death. Nearby lurk three ghouls, held at bay by the ghost of a foppish fellow wielding a rapier, who stands over the woman protectively.

The ghost is that of a notorious coward, whose failure led to the massacre commemorated by the fountain. He sees a chance for redemption, and is determined to protect the wounded escort from the ghouls. The ghouls were drawn by the scent of blood, and will shortly realize that the ghost's blade can't really harm them. They will then pounce on the poor escort and finish her off in a gruesome manner.

The ghost is desperate to redeem himself and earn his eternal rest, and will eagerly possess the most susceptible party member and wade into battle, heedless of the risks to the character. If the party members succeed at a history skill check they'll recognize the massacre the fountain commemorates and the ghost's identity. If they save the escort and allow the ghost (or whoever the ghost possesses) to strike the final killing blow on the last ghoul, the ghost will be redeemed, and the party will earn some sort of blessing. If the escort is slain, the ghost will bitterly curse the party before disappearing. With any other result from the battle, the ghost will continue to haunt the fountain for all eternity.

 

[Imaculata]

The corrupted fountain

A local fountain only spews filthy brown muck, instead of clean drinking water. According to the locals, this all started a while ago, and the corruption of the fountain is linked to the main plot or a side quest some how. The fountain is surrounded by decay and dead vegetation, where in the past it was always surrounded by beautiful roses. If one of the players is a priest, they may try to consecrate the area to rid the fountain of its corruption. But otherwise they will have to deal directly with whatever malevolent influence is causing it.

Malevolent weather

For the next couple of days the party is tormented by the most awful weather they have ever encountered. It is as if some dark force is deliberately trying to slow them down. The party is pelted with hale, rain and savage winds. They are cold and miserable, and the journey is extremely exhausting. The terrible weather conditions seem to follow them wherever they go, and even locals may remark on the sudden change in the weather ever since the party arrived at their settlement. This weather will severely test their resolve.

Matthias the wise

A total stranger informs the players that they should seek out the wisdom of the wizard known as Matthias. Matthias lives secluded, but not far from the nearest settlement, in a lone ivory wizard's tower. He does not like visitors, nor does he tolerate rudeness. However, when the players visit him, he senses the importance of their journey, and welcomes them all the same. The wizard gives them guidance and perhaps gifts to ease their journey. He may also give them an important warning regarding future tribulations. If the players insult Matthias however, he will instantly transform them into a small forest critter, which lasts for 1 day. The old wizard gives the impression of always being in a bad mood, as if the weight of knowing future events is always heavy on his mind. He does not smile and he does not waste time with pointless banter.

Strait of the Rotten

In a gloomy part of the land, shrouded in a thick green fog, lies a thin watery passage that connects two bodies of water. It runs straight through an ancient abandoned town in a ravine, where the water festers and spreads decay. A curse lies on the ravine and the town within, which sometimes causes the dead to rise. The town is older than any of the locals can remember, constructed from stone, though now it lies in ruins. During the summer people are able to travel through the ravine safely with small boats. But when the fog starts to rise, so do the dead. The dead here all spread poison and disease. Although the water itself is free of undead (they can't swim), it is still a hazardous journey by boat, where one does not want to stray too close to the land. Unfortunately this passage is also the shortest route. The land here is inhospitable, with many rocky crags that cannot be crossed safely with a horse and/or carriage. The town itself is a multi-level maze of tombs and ancient tunnels. It looks as if long ago an earthquake split the town in two, and exposed it to the surface.

Dwarven Mine

The party encounters the entrance to a dwarven mine. Two large stone doors cover the entrance in the side of the mountain. The DM can roll randomly to determine the condition of the mine:

1: The mine has been long forgotten. The doors may or may not be sealed with magic. No dwarfs can be found inside (not alive that is), and not much remains of the wealth once found within.
2: The mine is still in operation. Two heavily armored dwarf guards stand guard outside and do not let strangers through. Especially if they are not dwarfs themselves.
3: The mine is haunted. The mine has been long forgotten, and ghosts now are a threat to any intruders. The dwarfs sealed the evil within with powerful magic.
4: A large malevolent creature has made the mine into its home. It does not suffer intruders lightly and probably has minions to help protect its lair.
5: The mine is infested with giant spiders. Giant spiders have made this mine their home, and any intruders are likely to become their dinner.
6: The mine has collapsed. The players may be able to push aside some of the rubble, but the tunnels within are treacherous.

The DM can also roll randomly to determine what the dwarfs sought to mine here:

1: Coal
2: Common metals: Iron, Copper
3: Precious metals: Silver, Gold
4: Gems
5: Diamonds
6: Very rare metals: Mithrel, Adamantine