Stand Alone Encounters

[Daethanil]

I posted some of these ideas on the Wizards forums, and got almost no response. I am going to post a few here, to get some feedback from other players I hope. These are designed to bring the world to life, like the little flavor encounters in most RPG's, they carry no relevence to the story (Unless you want them too), but they make the world seem more alive. More people going about their own agenda's.

Battle of Faith.
Trigger - A PC uses a spell or ability requiring a holy symbol in public.

Event.
After the PC's ability, a call is heard from up the street. Coming towards the PC party is a group from a rival religion. They are a Justicator (Warlord), A Paladin, and a Rogue.

The Justicator will publicly admonish the PC for flaunting his faith to the citizenry. Stating an old law that prohibits the use of holy symbols in public, as it's a threat to other nominations for stealing their followers. All holy symbols are to be used only in appointed temples to the faith.

Insight vs 15 - He's speaking very loudly. Trying to discredit and damage the PC's reputations. But they seem more concerned with hating the Justicator. This must happen a lot.
Perception vs 15 - His associates have their hands on weapons. The paladin this is obvious, the rogue has a blade of some kind concealed.
History vs 20 - You know the law, and it was repealed ten years ago.

PC's will need to negotiate with the Justicator. A sample of events...
-PC's choose to walk away. In which case the Justicator will follow and demand compensation for the damage done to his god's following (30g).
-PC's threaten the Justicator. A fight will break out. Three rounds before guards intervene.
-PC's bluff or intimidate the Justicator to leave them alone. They will find in the morning small sabotage done to anything left in public (including animals and riding gear).
-PC's bring up the law was removed, the crowd will laugh and jeer the Justicator, humiliating him. The Justicator will leave, but when the PC's leave town he will hunt them down the first night and attack them around their campfire (with his allies).

 

[Daethanil]

The Great Sir Lord Gerebard the Indomitable Avenger

Trigger - PC's make any show of strength or skill in public.

Event - Gerebard will howl at them and make his way through the crowd, using brute force he will strike, kick, and possibly slash his way through. He's a bully, pure, simple, and malicious. He is enormous, in portion. Wearing plate mail that's several sizes too small for the mountain of flesh that he is. With an oversized two-handed sword over his shoulder. Gerebard will challenge the PC whom attracted his attention to a one-on-one duel (rules of which can be decided by DM).
PC Success - Gerebard dead or defeated, the townsfolk nearby will swarm the heroes to thank them. Relating just how much of a bully Gerebard has been for the last six months.
Adventure Hook - Have a townsman tell the PC's that Gerebard left with an adventuring company about six months ago. He came back the only survivor from the __________ (I used Sword Barrow). That he came back with proof of the slain ________. And he was called a hero. Then everything changed. He started drinking and eating, fighting with normal people. Whenever danger reared it's head, he would run, picking fights only with people he felt he could easily kill. He would claim, "When you've fought off a thousand ghouls, then you can tell me what I should do!". If the PC left Gerebard alive, then they may question him as well.
PC Failure - Gerebard will attempt to kill the PC, regardless of the rules of the duel.

Optional Treasure - Gerebard's sword is far too large for a human to carry, let alone swing! It looks to be a hill giant, or ogre weapon. On his wrists are a pair of Bracers of Strength (Ogre) +2.

 

[Daethanil]

Drunken Wisdom.

Trigger - A PC drops a few coins into a begger's cup.

Event - The old man looks into the cup, then up to the PC through yellowed eyes. One of which has a black rot spot which is spreading. He smiles, his teeth rotted and many already missing from the bleeding, inflamed gums.

(The next portion can be changed as needed. I involved this as a subtle hint for the future, for a adventure the PC's were going to go on)

"Coins, silver. yes! Good enough for a pint, it fights the rot you see? The rot... it needs it. It needs ale, wine, whiskey, moonshine! Yes yes, the rot. The rot. Ale! Silver! Good enough for a pint! It needs it you seen, needs ale, wine, whiskey..", the begger continues to babble to himself staring into the depths of the cup, now holding a few coins.

History Vs 25; 'The Rot' is a disease that hasn't been heard of for more than seventy five years. It was last known when Orcus' minions attacked _________.
Heal vs 20; This poor soul is gone. Whatever disease affects him has progressed too far to be cured without leaving him feebled in the process.

**When this was used it led the PC's to an entire quest to try and find a cure for the beggar! An unintended hook - though was still a lot fun. Dragonborn Fighter trying to physically convince priests of different temples to heal the man for free**

 

[hawkwing2k5]

You have some good ideas and some things that could be tossed into a adventure or even a quest.

 

[Rechan]

I like this. It reminds me of "En Route", a lot of stand alone/side treks for various environments, but they neglected cities/towns!.

 

[Verys Arkon]

Nice ideas Daethanil. I'd love to see a collection of these encounters (may 10 or more?) in a pdf that I could add to my binder collection. I'm not very comfortable with improv (yet) as a DM, so these short encounters that I can drop on a 'trigger' would be valuable.

Verys Arkon

 

[Zaukrie]

Great stuff. I too would like more of these. any little things you can toss in for fluff and variety and story is great stuff.

 

[Verdande]

These are golden. I like them a lot.


I just hope that your PCs don't expect to use the giant sword just because they're wearing the magic bracers.

 

[Jack Colby]

Great concept.

 

[MortalPlague]

Great examples! I'll pitch one that I threw at my adventurers last session... This is less an encounter and more of an NPC who could become recurring, but it did spice up a stroll through the streets of town.

Progue The Merchant

Trigger: This event can trigger any time the PCs are walking a city street.

Event: A merchant dressed in thread-of-gold trousers, a gold vest, and a gold coat ambushes the characters from behind. He drapes an elegant cloak around the shoulders of one of the melee types, stepping around him to fasten the brooch. Stepping back to admire the look, he pronounces the look 'inspiring', and tells the adventurer the cloak can be theirs for a mere five gold pieces.

Regardless of whether or not the PC purchases the cloak, the merchant in gold introduces himself as Progue, and he asks them to browse his humble cart. On his cart he has a vast collection of embellished and fancy adventuring gear, including the following:

• A set of thieve's tools made to resemble breath exploding from a dragon's maw
• A 50' coil of silk rope woven with gold thread
• A grappling hook carved like a gargoyle; two claws and two wings form the four hooks
• A water clock, for a mere 10 platinum pieces!
• Various other fancy adventuring gear, more for ornament than anything else

Progue is a good-natured and charismatic fellow, and will be friendly and civil to the adventurers even if they do not buy from him. He will offer to take any little knick nacks off their hands.

Making This An Encounter: If you prefer, Progue can form an encounter. While the charismatic fellow is wowing the adventurers with his outlandish and extravagant wares, two pickpockets in his employ are going to work. The pickpockets use the 'Halfling Thief' stat block from the monster manual, and get +11 to Thievery (Consider using a Gnome Prowler instead if you're scaling the encounter for characters higher than 5th level).