Friday, November 10, 2023

Friday Encounter: The Fairy Feast

This encounter will suit any environment suitably isolated from civilization - a clearing in the woods, a cave in a mountainside, or even in a dungeon. It will perhaps have the most impact if used at a time the PCs are low on resources.

In the middle of nowhere, the PCs come upon some sort of relatively enclosed space - a cave, a room in a dungeon, or a cover of trees, for instance - in the shade of which is set a large banquet table laden with all sorts of fine foods, attended to by beautiful maidens and youths who are laughing and drinking merrily from jeweled cups. The smell of roasting meat, expertly seasoned with herbs and spices, and the sounds of laughter can be noticed from a distance leading up to the site of the banquet. Upon the arrival of the PCs, if none of them are obviously wearing or carrying weapons or armor made of iron, the banquet guests will invite them to join in the festivities - and, conveniently, there just so happens to be enough free space at the table to fit the entire party.

Many PCs may be wary of such an encounter, and not without reason. These revelers are of the fair folk, and the banquet is actually a pocket in which the realm of Faerie bleeds into reality. If any PCs sit at the banquet table, they may notice (DC 12 Perception check, made with Disadvantage if they have eaten, drank, or engaged in more than fleeting conversation while seated) that the area outside of the enclosure seems superficially different than it did before they sat down, but never in a way that couldn't potentially be explained as them overlooking certain details - for instance, there may be flowers sprouting from the branches of the trees, regardless of the season, or the cave walls may suddenly be covered in moss.

The fair folk are not liars, and they will answer truthfully any questions asked of them; although they will try to answer circuitously as much as they can get away with it to hide their true nature, they will not say anything that is not in some way a true statement. For instance, if asked if they have any intention of harming the party, they adamantly deny it and insist they only want to have a bit of fun. This is true, but the fairies have very different ideas of fun than mortals.

It is well known that mortals who eat the fairy food are subject to their magic, and this is no exception. If any PCs join in the feast, they will find the food, drink, and company to be among the best they've ever had, but the time is fleeting, and before they know it, the food has been eaten and the table is being cleared. The fairies thank any participating PCs for their company, and bid them their best wishes, but as soon as they leave the PCs' sight, they disappear without a trace; only the table, now bare of any plates, dishes, or cutlery, remains.

Furthermore, a random enchantment will be placed over any PCs who partook in the feast. Based on the results of some of these, you may wish to have the same effect apply to all participating PCs.

Fairy Food Enchantments (d20 or choose from the list):

1. Time passes differently in the fey realms, and what seemed like only a few moments to mortal eyes was years to the fairies. In that time, the affected PCs had many adventures that they have no memories of. They have all aged 1d10 years.

2. Any PCs that partook in the feast are transformed into woodland animals as soon as they return to the Mortal Realm. Roll 1d8 for all affected PCs: 1. rabbit; 2. deer; 3. squirrel; 4. boar; 5. bird; 6. hedgehog; 7. toad; 8. fox. A remove curse or similar spell, or convincing a fey being to lift the spell, is required to change them back.

3. Any PC that partook in the feast has their head transformed into that of an ass as soon as they return to the Mortal Realm. A remove curse or similar spell, or convincing a fey being to lift the spell, is required to change them back.

4. Leaving the table didn't return the affected PCs to the Mortal Realm at all. For each bite of food they consumed (roll 2d20), they are trapped for one day in the lands of Faerie. When the duration ends, they find themselves at the site of the table in the Mortal Realm at sunrise the next day.

5. For every PC who partook in the feast, a sprite has decided to tag along with the party to the Mortal Realm. The creature will sing loud songs (regardless of if it's safe to do so), pull pranks on its new "friends" when they aren't looking, hide their items in inconvenient places, and generally be a nuisance. If killed, the sprite will reappear perfectly healthy 1d12 hours later. An offering of food or clothing, or invoking the fairy's true name (which it will do anything in its power to not reveal) is needed to rid the party of their uninvited guest.

6. All food or other perishable items carried by the affected PCs has suddenly spoiled as soon as they return to the Mortal Realm.

7. Half of the treasure carried by the affected PCs, according to GP value rounded up, has suddenly vanished as soon as they return to the Mortal Realm. In its place, their coin purses contain seeds and pebbles.

8. The next time they take a long rest, each affected PC has a strange vision in which the fairies from the banquet appear to give them a quest. Until this quest is completed, they obtain the benefits of a short rest from any long rests they take.

9. Eating the fairy food signed over the affected PCs' souls, and the fairies have already promised them to Death for a hefty bargain. The next time any affected PC hits 0 HP, they have Disadvantage on all their death saves.

10. The affected PCs lose all their memories and don't remember who they or their companions are. A remove curse or similar spell, or convincing a fey being to lift the spell, is required to restore their memories.

11. Nothing seems to be amiss when the PCs return to the Mortal Realm, but take any players whose characters took part in the feast aside and tell them that their characters have been trapped in the Lands of Faerie and replaced with changelings. They are not allowed to share this information with the rest of the party, but they should be encouraged to have their characters betray the rest of the party when an opportunity presents itself. A journey into the Fey Realm, or bargaining with the fair folk, is required to free the trapped PCs.

12. The affected PCs' weapons have been replaced with sticks and branches (count as improvised weapons). Weapons made of iron will not be tampered with.

13. The affected PCs are stricken by a plague of bad luck. They have Disadvantage on all rolls until their next long rest.

14. The affected PCs are incapable of lying as soon as they return to the Mortal Realm. A remove curse or similar spell, or convincing a fey being to lift the spell, is required to lift this ailment.

15. Any footwear worn by the affected PCs has been switched around to sit on the wrong feet. Until this is fixed, they have Disadvantage on any rolls that require balance (such as crossing a rickety bridge) and must make a DC 9 Dexterity saving throw when moving in combat or fall prone.

16. The affected PCs experience a profound sense of longing for the Lands of Faerie as soon as they return to the Mortal Realm and will make any attempt to return. This effect wears off in 1d4 weeks.

17. Each PC that partook in the feast learn the languages of a different class of animals (roll 1d4: 1. birds; 2. mammals; 3. fish; 4. reptiles and amphibians) and can communicate with them at will. This effect is permanent.

18. Each of the affected PCs has befriended a fey spirit who will intervene on their behalf the next time they are threatened by the Fair Folk.

19. The affected PCs are granted good fortune. They have Advantage on all rolls until their next long rest.

20. The affected PCs have been granted the gift of prophecy. They can cast the divination spell without requiring a ritual once per day. This effect is permanent.

If the PCs refuse to join the feast, the fairies bid them on their way and wish them luck. The next time the party returns to this location, the table and all the revelers have vanished, with no sign they were ever there to begin with.

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