Terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad encounters, by type

[merwins]

I really like the request and response threads. And I find that I periodically need some inspiration, so I'm gonna kick this one off and see how it goes.

The only restriction I propose is that you constrain your requests with mechanical conditions, not world-based ones.
In other words, don't bother giving us your entire setup. Just draw a couple squiggles and let the responder(s) get creative.

When you respond, you can respond to any item in the chain. You don't need to make a request.
Please go beyond, "Use this monster from this book."

Provide a hook -- why the encounter exists
Provide a line -- something to draw the PCs in
Provide a sinker -- consequences for resolving the encounter in one way or another

On your mark, get set, GO:

Request
CR: 10-12
Monster type: Fey, preferably Undead
Environment: Forest

No other constraints.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

The Sturgeon King, a large fish-like Fey lord has fallen ill. Despite its usual vitality, the old king of the lake is grim and death seems to swim closer each day. The party was recruited by a Nixie who act as royal healer; Medea the Sturgeon Surgeon. She requires of you to enter the King colossal (yet regal) body to find and kill the parasite who brings pain to her liege.

At the deepest part of the royally exquisite belly of King, the party discover the source of the problem: a Deathkiss (Volo's) has been ingested by error by the king and has taken residence inside of him, draining is divinely-approved blood.

The battle is fought in 3 feet high water that is considered Difficult Terrain. Some high grounds can be found by climbing on floating debris. The Deathkiss is accompanied by 1d4 Ghast (MM) with a swim speed of 30' and 1d4 undead Giant Crabs with the Undeath Fortitude trait. Each time a Ghast is killed in the water, living creatures in the water must make a DC 13 Con save or be Poisoned for 1d4 rounds.

 

[MNblockhead]

REQUEST

CR: Enough to challenge 4-5 20th level characters (veteran, highly tactical players)
Environment: Remote mountain fortress, rising above a vast jungle, won from a Rakshasa
Monster type: Fiendish or something a revengeful, unforgiving, and unforgetting Raksha might set into motion.

Please, not just bags of hit points. Something challenging and interesting, bonus points for humiliating to the characters and groan-inducing to the players.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

REQUEST

CR: Enough to challenge 4-5 20th level characters (veteran, highly tactical players)
Environment: Remote mountain fortress, rising above a vast jungle, won from a Rakshasa
Monster type: Fiendish or something a revengeful, unforgiving, and unforgetting Raksha might set into motion.

Please, not just bags of hit points. Something challenging and interesting, bonus points for humiliating to the characters and groan-inducing to the players.

As the party starts to climb down the cliff-side path, a loud thunder-like noise comes from behind them. On the horizon appears a vision of nightmare; the party quickly recognized the Pasha's Cart of Doom, the fabled cart made from the melted chains of a thousand Chain Demons in the flame of the City of Brass by a thousand Effreet and covered by the gold stolent from the ancient dragon Namewitoomanyixes.

In the skies above them is a large flying carriage pulled by 2 Young Red Dragons and 2 Blue Dragons with the Variant Spellcasting trait with Enchantment and Illusions spells. The Dragons act on the same initiative round and can only pulled the cart 45' or take an Action each.

Guiding the Cart of Doom is the Pasha's majordomo, Guilvert the Unfair, an Arcanaloth. The manservant only use its spell to confound to party and try to force them to throw themselves or a friend down the cliff. The Arcanaloth lose the spell Finger of Death, Mindblank and Chain Lightning and gain instead Mental Prison (6), Project Image (7) and Illusory Dragon (8). While inside the Carriage, Guilvert has 2 Legendary Actions.
-Forward and Ram (1 Action): The Cart move in a 20' straight line and one of the dragon make a grab action against a PC.
-Fire Doom Ball! (2 Actions): The Arcanaloth mans on of the large side cannon on the rig and fire one 10' diameter shot who deals 2d6 in a 10' radius on impact (ref save for half damage). On Initiative 10, the sphere opens and release the pitiful creatures stuffed inside. The type of creatures is decided by the type of ammunition use by the salvo:
- Hell shot: 2 Hellhounds. There's 1 chance in 6 that one of the Hellhounds is merely a Dog put there by error by a lazy worker.
- Pity Shot: release 1d8 Lemure
- Smoke Bomb: release 1d4 Smoke Mephit
- Chaotic Noise bomb: release 1d4 Shriekers and 1d4 Swarm of Bats
- Cubic rounds: (This ammunition is a cube!) release 1 Gelatinous Cube with the who can use Charm Person at DC 12 3/Day
The Carriage itself has an AC of 18 and offer 3/4 cover to anyone inside. It has resistance of every physical damage from non-magical source and 200 HP. When the Cart drop to 0 HP, it falls at the bottom of the chasm and everyone inside or pulling it take 10d10 fall damage. The Arcnaloth, if still present, loses its Legendary Actions.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

REQUEST:

My next arc involves a chimera that has been uplifted in intelligence by demonic influence. With her newfound awareness she has named herself Queen of Beasts and she wishes to build a kingdom for monsters. She favours followers that are bestial humanoids, monstrosities, and of course beasts. I need an encounter to spring on the players when they figure out that the Queen doesn't intend for her kingdom to play nice with the nearby city.

Challenge: 5 PCs of level 3-4
Environment: The Queen resides in the forest known as The Everautumn Wood. Her glorious city is made up of primarily tree houses and simple huts on the ground. Her fortress is carved out of a single giant tree.
Monster Type: Mix of humanoids of the animal variety with beasts and monstrosities (preferably monstrosities with recognizable animal traits like the owlbear).

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

REQUEST:

My next arc involves a chimera that has been uplifted in intelligence by demonic influence. With her newfound awareness she has named herself Queen of Beasts and she wishes to build a kingdom for monsters. She favours followers that are bestial humanoids, monstrosities, and of course beasts. I need an encounter to spring on the players when they figure out that the Queen doesn't intend for her kingdom to play nice with the nearby city.

Challenge: 5 PCs of level 3-4
Environment: The Queen resides in the forest known as The Everautumn Wood. Her glorious city is made up of primarily tree houses and simple huts on the ground. Her fortress is carved out of a single giant tree.
Monster Type: Mix of humanoids of the animal variety with beasts and monstrosities (preferably monstrosities with recognizable animal traits like the owlbear).

Ok, this one is a little different. I hope you have access to ToA or can get one of the module that has the rules for....Dinosaurs Racing!.

The party just found human prisoners hidden in the Honeyed-Jail, the dungeon of the Executioner Wasp, the royal enforcer of the Queen of beasts. It seems the newly crowned queen doesnt really love her humanoid neighbors.

As the player tries to escape the treetop to reach the bottom, they quickly understand that simply running wont cut it; they'll need to fly down the branches and require a mount to do so. They eventually find the Worker's Den, a tavern (known for its mead) near the dungeon. Inside, 1d6 were-bears are enjoying a day off. The party can quickly storm the tavern and steal some Riding Bumblebee (this is where you refluff the dinosaurs by changing their walking speed to fly speed) as the were-bears give chase. each players must tally 600 yards to reach the bottom of the tree and get to safety.

The chase can be made with owlbears or manticores if you need.

 

[Warpiglet]

I love this thread. I wish I had a whole book of ideas like this to plug in the game, perhaps modify and run with. Totally kewl!

 

[merwins]

It's all vincegetorix right now.
Maybe HE should write a book!

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

It's all vincegetorix right now.
Maybe HE should write a book!

I wish I could, but I'm not confident enough in my English and, more importantly, I dont do math! I find the fixation on balance is killing creativity. If I dont have at least one player threatening the life of my family at knife point, driven mad by the insanity I put them through, I consider my game night a failure.

...If you never had a players run away from a mad cleric of Torog riding a gelatinous cube shouting (while casting Command or Dominate X) ''Kiss the Cube, Kiss the Cube'' then you havent lived yet

 

[Riley37]

The Sturgeon King, a large fish-like Fey lord has fallen ill.

So it's the Fantastic Voyage movie, from 1966, with a hook, line, and sinker.

Then you run a sequel adventure based on the 1991 movie "The Fisher King" with Robin Williams.

Also with a hook, line, and sinker.