Forest encounters

[Mandarb34]

I have a game tomorrow afternoon and I'm braindead. The three second level players are going to start with no items in a slave caravan guarded by three orcs. After they escape they will be over a hundred miles into the wilderness. And on their way out I need some interesting encounters for their trek.

Here's one I have so far:

An old abandoned cabin with a grown over path leading to it (spot DC 15). Inside are several orc skeletons and one human skeleton. The house looks looted and nothing useful can be found. In a back room there is a fairly easy to find trap door (search DC10) that leads to a basement. The basement contains more orb bodies and the body of a large carrion crawler on a chain chained up. There is a chest next to the chain leading one to beleive that the crawler was chained there to guard it. The chest's lock is rusted shut and needs to be broken to get it open. The human who owned the house was a ranger before he was attacked by the orcs and the chest contains a masterwork longsword and shortsword pair as well as some rotted leather armor. There are also two baby carrion crawlers somewhere in the basement who will try to surprise the party.



This is basically the kind of thing I'm looking for, things for them to do on their trip out of orcish lands and back into friendly territory besides "Oh, another orc is ummm, standing behind that bush over there"

 

[Xarlen]

Be *very* careful.

I had 3 carrion crawlers nearly perform a TPK on a 7th level party. Luckily I saved the party at the last moment (which lead to their brief capture).

 

[Hand of Evil]

There has to be a map... It could show them the orc build up and locations and could be something they think needs to get into the right hands.

The map would contain locations/landmarks, shines, old bridge, logger camp, a fort, bridge...things like that. The players then see that there is a time table, they have to get from point A to B, then to C. Maybe that have to warn a family, help a broken down wagon, find fresh water and food?

 

[the Jester]

How about meeting some fairies who don't like the orcs either? If the group does a good job with diplomacy checks, they might even be able to get some dust of disappearance or tracelessness.

 

[jgbrowning]

here here!

yes jester!

encounters are not just about combat. make encounters where the players have to use their (the players, not the characters) skills. the players enjoy being tricky

i like encounters that are not combat oriented.

joe b.

 

[Mandarb34]

I do like the idea of the map since the world is one where there is a large Warcraft type war going on between core races and some of the monster races, namely orcs, trolls, goblins, and ogres.

 

[Daiymo]

Also, and I don't know what your adventure campaign involves other than getting out of orc territory, but how about the group stumbling across a small outpost or village of humans, perhaps on the edge of orc territory that has been recently destroyed? The group finds there an infant which they perhaps decide to take along to save.

Protecting the innocents is always a nice twist-and can make the group approach situations differently. They can't always hack their way out of a tight spot if they have a baby or small child in tow.