Friday Encounter: Wishing Well

This encounter may be used anywhere. It may be found in the wilderness, on the side of a road, at the center of a town, or in a dungeon. Ideally, the party should hear rumors of the wishing well before they come across it so that they know its properties and how to use it.

The party will come across a well or spring beside a large hawthorn tree, the branches of which are laden with many-colored ribbons and strips of paper (if this encounter is used in a dungeon, you could have them tied to rafters, pillars, or stalactites around the well instead). On the ribbons are inscriptions that all describe a wish, left there by previous travelers.

If a PC writes down their wish on a ribbon and hangs it from the tree, the next time they take a long rest, they will receive a vision of a beautiful woman bathed in light. This is the fey spirit who guards the well, and who works its magic. In a soft and soothing voice, she will describe the payment needed to grant the PC's wish.

Any number of wishes may be made in this fashion, and they will always be executed to the PC's desire, without being twisted or deliberately misinterpreted. However, the wish will not be granted unless an appropriate offering is brought to the well. This offering should fit the principles of equivalent exchange, approximating the metaphysical value of the wish. For instance, if one wishes for wealth or power, they must give up something worth the blessing, such as an eye. If one wishes for a magic item, they may be told they must obtain a rare object that proves their worthiness of using it, such as a dragon's scale. If a PC wishes to bring someone back from the dead, they will be told they must drown someone else in the well so their soul can take their place in the Land of the Dead. Use your judgment as a DM to come up with an appropriate sacrifice or challenge for the reward - and keep in mind that the fair folk find our notions of ethics and morality amusing at best.

You could think of this encounter as something of a quest dispenser for PCs to be able to initiate quests for the rewards they seek. I've heard of some DMs having players write "wish lists" of magic items they want to obtain over the course of a campaign. I find this idea utterly ridiculous - it takes away from the impact of obtaining such a reward if you knew in advance you were going to get it anyway. However, this way, if a player really is set on a particular item, you can make sure they have a way to get it - with an appropriate price they can decide whether or not is worth paying. Alternatively, it could be used as a way to give the PCs bonuses at a price. You may wish to mark the hex or point this encounter was obtained on, if using such mapping schemes, in case the players want to return to the well, or if whatever quest it sends them on would take them elsewhere.

Once whatever payment the spirit demanded is thrown into the well, the PC who made the wish will find that it is miraculously granted - any blessings they wished for are granted to them, items will appear in their possession suddenly, and any changes they wish to be made upon the world are enacted. If they climb into the well, there is no sign of the offering(s) anywhere. Alternatively, you might have the offerings stick around, but removing them from the well would condemn anyone to a curse...