D&D 5E Urgent Need for Encounter Ideas!

[JovialLichKing]

Hey All,

This will be the 2nd time you guys have come to my rescue. I'm already indebted to this community in a big way. So... thanks in advance. My mixed group of grownups and teenagers is coming over tomorrow (unexpectedly) for our next gaming session. It wasn't supposed to happen so soon and I haven't had proper time to prep. I'm hoping you all can help me with some non-combat & combat ideas.

Some background: You all helped me get them up the mountain, now they have to get through. They just achieved 2nd level and are trapped inside the mountain (which they ascended in the previous sessions) and are trying to find their way out, to complete a quest that started outside. So far they have encountered stirges, piercers and defeated a few surface dweller-hating Duergar. I have them about to cross a bridge over a chasm, but nothing planned beyond this point! The session is to last 2 - 3 hours tomorrow. Again, they are undermountain right now.

Cheers!

 

[BoldItalic]

Orcs are always good for a session. The bridge leads to a gateway guarded by orc sentries. They are challenged, in orcish. Can they talk their way through? Beyond the gatehouse is a small encampment of orcs who are charged with guarding some cages of prisoners. Will they try to release the prisoners?

One of the prisoners is a homicidal drow; if you release him, you have to fight him.

Another is a wizard who has lost his spellbook, is concussed and cannot remember any spells. If you rescue him, he will be a dead weight in the party but he does have a hazy recollection of the way out.

Another prisoner is a merchant who has no gold right now but might get you a discount on supplies if you return him safely to town but he is worried about his daughter, whom he hasn't seen since they got separated.

The fourth prisoner is a wood elf who can speak orcish and elvish but not common. If you rescue him and can communicate with him, he will reveal a secret way through the forest, away from the mountain and towards a magical pool whose waters confer healing.

Beyond the orc encampment is a tunnel leading steeply upwards but it is a difficult climb requiring ropes and suitable skills. The party may have to help each other to make the ascent. Failure on a crucial roll means falling back down, taking damage and having to start again.

(edit - added)

At the top of the climb is an ancient temple dedicated, rather implausibly, to the rain god. There are statues representing frogs. One of the statues talks and will ask riddles, but with a twist: it will say the answer to a riddle and the players have to come up with a riddle that has that as the answer. For example, it might say "The Moon". Success at creating a suitable riddle (DM's judgement) causes the frog statue to swing aside revealing a flight of step leading downwards, to a chamber where fresh air is blowing in through vents in the ceiling.

 

[Taronkov]

Just going to leave this here...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php

Edit: Well since my link apparently doesn't work... search for "endless stream" and you'll come up with a whole thread of them.

 

[JovialLichKing]

Solid ideas! Many thanks! I might replace the orcs with more Duergar. Maybe.

Trying to think of a more sinister purpose behind the encampment. hmmmm

 

[76512390ag12]

I find lots of NPCs talking to each other is dull for players, so maybe give the NPC character sheets to the PCs and they can play them through your gauntlet of skill tests and Duergar ambushes?

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[BoldItalic]

Solid ideas! Many thanks! I might replace the orcs with more Duergar. Maybe.

Trying to think of a more sinister purpose behind the encampment. hmmmm

The merchant who is supposedly looking for his daughter is a spy and he hired the duergar/orcs to set this all up with the intention of deceiving the PCs into attempting a "rescue". Once "rescued", the merchant will try very hard to infiltrate the player party and find out all they know. If one of the guards is interrogated he will point the finger at the merchant and tell the truth, but in such implausible terms that the players are not going to believe him.

If the merchant succeeds in tagging along with the party, a particularly perceptive PC might notice that he seems to be taking notes ...

 

[BoldItalic]

I find lots of NPCs talking to each other is dull for players, so maybe give the NPC character sheets to the PCs and they can play them through your gauntlet of skill tests and Duergar ambushes?

Ah, sorry, I wrote it off the top of my head without much care. I meant it to be the players were challenging the sentries and considering a rescue, not that there was another group of NPCs present who were doing that while the players watched. Although ...

 

[JovialLichKing]

Just popping in to say that the session on Saturday went really well. Some of the ideas shared here inspired some great encounters and a lot of fun. I appreciate it. Can't wait til our next session!


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