During the Search for the Forest Dwarves, or indeed at any point, the adventurers may be travelling across Orn, and there is a narrative need for an incident which is rather more interesting than a standardised random encounter.
Here are a group of such occurrences, that can be woven
into such journeys. For example when travelling from, say, Taupi’s nest to the elven village.
They are aimed at a relatively low level group (roughly levels 2-5).
Some act as simple ‘experiences,’ with little combat or other gain
for the party. Others require more
interaction.
Rather than roll dice, it is suggested that the referee adds these optional encounters as appropriate for the flow of the game. She may select the incident(s)) which will add most to the character’s adventure. It is recommended that only one or two of these notions be deployed as part of any one journey or playing session.
The Falling Pegasus
The party feel a strong and almost overwhelming wave of evil from
the clouds above. About thirty seconds
later a body falls from the clouds, around 2-300 yards away from them. This turns out to be an adult, male
Pegasus. The creature has no bridle or
saddle, and there is no indication of how it died.
DM Note. Keep this as a mystery, as much as is
possible. The assumption is that the
creature was killed by either the Astafei family or a similarly powerful, evil
creature.
The Refugees
As noted, following a Great Winter, the portals around Orn are
particularly open to those entering the World from other spaces, as part of
the general repopulation following the cold. However, those who cross between the worlds
will not all be adventurers, and may not be willing.
The characters come across a group of poor, hungry refugees. These are poor subsistence farmers who
inadvertently crossed over via a chance portal on their way back from a day’s
fieldwork. A group of men and women with
minimal goods, who need help.
The referee can decide their race and ages. There should be between 5 and 15 individuals
– mostly adult, with a few older children and possibly the odd baby.
How the characters respond may be down to their current state, and
of course their alignments. Good
characters and particularly paladins may be rewarded for helping them.
One option would be for the characters to feed them (eg using
druidic spells) and chaperon them to the elven village – where they would be
willing to work for food and accommodation.
The Shipwreck
The characters come upon a wrecked yacht, some miles from any body
of water. It has a wooden hull, which is
still wet and a single mast, and one sail unfurled. It is lying on its side, creating a structure
about 8-10 feet tall. The boat has come
through a portal on the sea, and crashed on dry land on Orn. (Optionally, the characters may have heard
the crash as it collapsed, around 40 minutes previously).
The hull is of carved mahogany planking above with the bottom
three in teak, copper fastened to rock elm steamed timbers on an oak backbone. The oak backbone is magical, and on water would provide an impetus, acting as a motor driving the ship forward at 2 knots for
up to four hours a day. It is controlled
by a series of command words. However, particularly useless on land.
It is called Delilah.
The ship has a cast iron ballast keel. The mast is of silver spruce. There are bronze mast-deck fittings, and
there is a keel-hung rudder of oak, with tiller steering. The cabins have a varnished mahogany and teak
interior.
There is a large displacer beast prowling around the ship. It has already killed two sailors – who were
both satyrs (dressed in simple, lightweight clothes, carrying knives and
tobacco). It will attack any party that
approaches.
Displacer Beast. Large
monstrosity, chaotic evil. General description
as 5eMM
HTK 65
In the yacht there are five berths in two cabins with full
standing headroom (for satyrs). There is
a galley space and a sink with cold water.
The crockery, cutlery and other moveable items have been thrown about as
the ship crashed. The navigation table
is fixed to the wall, but the maps and charts have been thrown across the
room. They show somewhere called the
Emerald Sea – which is from the same plane as Ixixion, and Ellason is marked
(Players may wish to extend the maps of Bolsano’s plane already included. The satyr has never heard of Ixixion).
There is a saloon area with settee berths upholstery in blue with scatter cushions and lockers over backrests and folding table between. There is a bulkhead door to fore cabin with access to the chain locker. There is also an opening hatch to the foredeck. A separate heads compartment with sea toilet, hand wash basin opposite with dry / wet lockers - sink, shower and hanging locker
If the adventurers can defeat the beast,
they can release the young female satyr, Elpida. Her companions were Dimi and Filippos. They were students together and had borrowed
the yacht from Filippos’s father to tour the islands for a couple of days. They were training to be woodland priests.
Elpida, satyr, 1st level chaotic good cleric.
She wears lightweight summer clothing in blue and white, and has no weapon. On the ship are a cloak, soft leather boots and gloves that belong to her. See Miscellaneous NPCs.
Elpida will explain that the ship collided with the land and
capsized. She and her fellow students
were trying to work out what had happened, and seeing what could be
salvaged. However, within 30 minutes of
the crash the displacer beast attacked.
She ran and hid in the cabin. One
of her fellow students (called Yanna, Dimi’s brother) ran off into the
mists. The two male students attempted
to fend the beast off with knives and pieces of canvas, but died in the attempt. She is distraught, and needs care.
The party may feel that she would be best taken care of at one of
the civilised locales they know, and may wish to take her there.
Yanna cannot be located. For her details see Miscellaneous NPCs
Salvageable equipment from the boat includes a compass, barometer, the charts, food for a couple of days, a clock (magical, always wrong), fishing equipment, a harpoon, canvas and ropes, fresh water, the dead satyr’s silver apples and steel knives.
There is also a locked brass cupboard embedded in the floor of the
main cabin. If picked, it will reveal a
silver bracelet, a simple chain.
Crest Cat!
A young adult crest cat joins the adventurers for a few days, unbeknownst to them. It will not
stay longer, as at this age it will not want to leave its family group for too
long.
Crest Cat, young adult Medium beast, lawful neutral. General description and behaviour
HP 30
The crest cat will join in with any combat, particularly if the characters appear to be outclassed or losing. It will remain camouflaged. The adventurers may be surprised to see their foe taking blows from an unknown source.
After having left it will return to its family, but will remember
the characters and their actions and describe them to its parents. Other crest cats encountered may (30%) react
to the characters accordingly.
Fire!
The characters will spy a large-scale fire in the distance. If they investigate, they will discover a
small stand of beech trees burning, in flames.
Within 10 minutes two beechwood treants will arrive to attempt to
quash the fire using beating brushes and moving soil. They will also try to animate any unaffected
trees to leave the copse.
- If the party have attempted to put the flames out (or
succeeded) the treants will be pleased, and one may speak to them.
- If they have done nothing, they may be blamed and will certainly
be admonished.
- If they fanned the flames the treants may well attack them.
Treant. Huge
plant, chaotic good. General description as 5e MM
But see also the Treants of Orn.
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