This encounter may come up in a variety of settings; see below.
Background
As long as anyone knows, Rankirk has been plagued by horrible luck. A tradesman in a small village not far from here, he has been afflicted by ill fortune since he was a child, and accidents and mishaps seem to follow him wherever he goes. Some say it was because he was born beneath three new moons, an ill omen; others say that his mother offended the fair folk (if using this encounter in a different setting, feel free to substitute any setting-appropriate rumors to explain his predicament). Whatever the case is, Rankirk is a magnet for misfortune - and if the PCs don't do anything about it, his luck will tag along with them.
The Encounter
When the PCs come across him, Rankirk will be caught up in yet another misadventure brought on by his curse. Roll according to the terrain type this encounter was used in:
Bodies of Water
Rankirk has fallen into the water and has drifted 90 feet out from shore (or from the PC's boat). Enter Action Time and roll initiative when the players discover this. On Rankirk's first turn, he will automatically fall unconscious and begin drowning (roll death saves on each of his turns. If he rolls three successes, start over).
Deserts (d4)
1. Rankirk is lost in the desert and dying of thirst. He will plead with the PCs for water and to be led to the nearest settlement or oasis.
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk is caught in a sandstorm (creatures caught in the sandstorm must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain the Blinded condition for one round. Creatures failing by 5 or more also take 1d4 slashing damage).
4. Rankirk is pinned beneath a fallen rock. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to lift it off of him.
5. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d6 bandits.
6. Rankirk is being menaced by a giant scorpion.
Forests (d10)
1. Rankirk is lost. He will plead with the PCs to be led to the nearest settlement.
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk's cart got stuck in a thicket of trees while he was passing through. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to get it free.
4. Rankirk is caught in the web of a giant spider. Roll 1d4: on a 4, the spider is also present.
5. Rankirk is pinned beneath a fallen tree. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to lift it off of him.
6. Rankirk is being menaced by 3d4 wolves.
7. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d6 orcs.
8. Rankirk is being menaced by a bear.
9. Rankirk is being menaced by a dire boar.
10. Rankirk is being menaced by a dire wolf.
Grasslands (d6)
1. Rankirk is lost. He will plead with the PCs to be led to the nearest settlement.
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk's cart got stuck in a patch of deep mud while he was passing through. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to get it free.
4. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d6 bandits.
5. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d6 orcs.
6. Rankirk is being menaced by a dire boar.
Mountains (d6)
1. Rankirk is lost. He will plead with the PCs to be led to the nearest settlement.
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk's cart got stuck in a crag while he was passing through. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to get it free.
4. Rankirk is pinned beneath a fallen rock. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to lift it off of him.
5. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d6 orcs.
6. Rankirk is being menaced by an ogre.
Swamps (d8)
1. Rankirk is lost. He will plead with the PCs to be led to the nearest settlement.
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk's cart got stuck in deep mud while he was passing through. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to get it free.
4. Rankirk is stuck in quicksand. Creatures crossing the quicksand must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check. If they fail, they sink 1d4+1 feet into the quicksand. Escaping quicksand once one is stuck in it requires a DC 10 Strength check, with 1 added to the DC for each foot the creature has sunk. After escaping, creatures may exit the quicksand on any side.
5. Rankirk is stuck in a sucking bog. Creatures crossing the bog must make a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check and are considered grappled if they fail. They must make a successful check to escape, after which they may exit the bog on any side.
6. Rankirk is being menaced by 2d6 goblins.
7. Rankirk is being menaced by a giant poisonous snake.
8. Rankirk is being menaced by a giant constrictor snake.
Tundra (d8)
1. Rankirk is lost and freezing to death. He will plead with the PCs to be led to the nearest settlement, or to be provided with warmth (such as from a fire or warm clothes).
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk's cart got stuck in deep snow while he was passing through. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to get it free.
4. Rankirk is pinned beneath a fallen rock or tree. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to lift it off of him.
5. Rankirk is being menaced by 3d4 wolves.
6. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d4 bugbears.
7. Rankirk is being menaced by a winter wolf.
8. Rankirk is being menaced by a rhemoraz.
Urban Areas (d4)
1. Rankirk is lost. He will plead with the PCs to be led out of the settlement, or to an inn on the other side of town (he knows where to go from there).
2. Rankirk has just had his pocket picked by a thief, and he pleads with the PCs to track it down. His coinpurse contains 3d10 GP - somehow, he has come into the possession of wealth, but it doesn't seem to have helped him for long.
3. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d4 thugs. They have not opened violence, but are threatening him into a protection racket he can't possibly afford.
4. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d4 thugs, who are in the midst of beating him up.
Underground (d10)
1. Rankirk is lost. He will plead with the PCs to be led to the nearest settlement. He doesn't want to explain how in the world he ended up here.
2. Rankirk has fallen into a pit 30 feet deep and is unable to get out.
3. Rankirk is caught in the web of a giant spider. Roll 1d4: on a 4, the spider is also present.
4. Rankirk has been stuffed in a barrel by a troll who wishes to eat him. Roll 1d4: on a 4, the troll is also present.
5. Rankirk is pinned beneath a fallen rock or stalactite. A DC 15 Athletics check, or the appropriate equipment or magic, is required to lift it off of him.
6. Rankirk is dangerously close to a pit of green slime.
7. Rankirk is dangerously close to a shrieker and will alert it if left to his own devices.
8. Rankirk is being menaced by 2d6 goblins.
9. Rankirk is being menaced by 1d6 orcs.
10. Rankirk is being menaced by a hook horror.
Rankirk has the stats of a scout. However, he has Disadvantage on all attack rolls and skill checks. Additionally, he must reroll any natural 20s he rolls on any roll.
If the PCs free Rankirk from his plight, he will introduce himself and mention that he keeps getting into situations like these. He will proclaim that he is eternally in debt to such a selfless act of heroism, and will attempt to accompany the PCs as long as he is allowed to. However, there are (naturally) complications with having to escort someone so unlucky - whatever happens to him will drag those around him into it too.
- While traveling with the PCs, the party will be more likely to attract random encounters (implement this according to however you determine encounters - for instance, if your table rolls a d20 for random encounters at specific intervals and an encounter happens on a 18 or higher, one will happen on a 17 or higher as long as Rankirk accompanies them).
- If a random encounter that does not present an immediate or likely danger to the party (eg. hostile monsters or adverse weather conditions) is rolled, reroll that encounter once and take the second result.
- If the PCs would discover magic items while Rankirk is traveling with them, there is a 50% chance that the item is replaced by a randomly determined cursed item of equivalent rarity.
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