Friday Encounter: The Shrine of Blood

Here's an encounter I used in a recent session. It was originally designed as a dungeon room, but it could easily work as a feature on the road or in the wilderness as well.

I generally hew to the wisdom that magic items that just give flat bonuses to rolls are the most boring kind of magic items there are, and don't feel particularly magical. Case in point, it was only a few years ago that I realized that +1 weapons and armor were actually supposed to be magical, and not just a way to represent superior craftsmanship (maybe video games have spoiled me). If I'm going to use a magic item, I think it should always have special properties, abilities, and limitations that make it more than just a flat bonus. If you can abstract a magic item into the calculations of your attack roll, then you forget that you have the item in the first place, and magic should never be forgettable.

However, I can't deny there is a use for flat bonuses to attacks some times - it just makes for a really underwhelming treasure or quest reward. Here's a way you can make +1 weapons more interesting by giving them unique conditions to attain them, and limitations on their use.

The Shrine of Blood

The PCs should come upon a shrine where the statue of a god of war and battle (Kerne, Estark, Ares, Crom, or whoever fits the role in your setting) is stood with a shallow wide-brimmed bowl at its feet. Engraved in silver along the bowl's rim are the words "My champions shall be anointed in the blood of their enemies." A DC 10 Religion check will identify the god and their nature as a god of war; clerics, paladins, and characters with the Acolyte background or similar will know this automatically. Additionally, a follower of the god who prays in front of the shrine will receive a vision of the statue coming to life and dipping one of its weapons into the bowl.

If anyone fills the bowl with blood from a creature they have slain within the day and then dips a weapon into it, the statue's eyes glow, followed by the weapon glowing for a few seconds. That weapon then becomes a +1 weapon of the appropriate type until the next long rest, at which point it reverts to its original state. The blood is consumed through this ritual, but the bowl can be refilled an unlimited amount of times. The ritual will not work if the blood is not fresh, or if the user did not land the killing blow on the creature the blood came from.

Friday Encounter: The Wild Hunt

This encounter can be dropped in the wilderness, but it perhaps has more utility if the PCs are actively engaged in hunting - whether that's because they're foraging for food, or perhaps because they're invited by a noble they're in good standing with to partake in a hunt. The lore here is pretty specific to the Lunar Lands, but you can probably tweak it to fit another setting by replacing Kerne with a similar god of the hunt, or the stag with a similarly holy beast.

While out hunting, the PCs are suddenly greeted by the sight of a large white stag with a majestic rack of antlers, emerging from the bush. The stag is alone, and it does not appear to notice the PCs' presence. If they so choose, it would be an easy target to move in for the kill - and a most impressive trophy indeed.

However, if it seems too good of an opportunity to be true, that's because it is. At this point, everyone in the party should make a DC 12 Religion check. Any PC who makes a successful check will know that white stags are the sacred beast of Kerne, the god of war and the hunt, and are reserved for he alone to pursue. Any mortal who dares harm one will suffer Kerne's wrath. Clerics or paladins of Kerne or characters with the Acolyte background who belonged to a Kernate order will know all this information automatically. This might seem like an obvious trap to the players, so if there are any NPCs with the party, you could have one of them attempt to attack the stag if you want to trigger the next stage of encounter.

If the stag is killed, the sky darkens with a great clap of thunder, showing that Kerne is displeased. The next day, Kerne will send a party of the Wild Hunt to track down the PCs, consisting of 2d4 scouts on riding horses, 1d6 mastiffs, and 1d4 perytons. As the scouts are Kerne's servants, they have the Celestial type (and thus will be noticed by Divine Sense and similar effects), and appear unusually tall and robust, with radiant skin, glowing eyes, and antlers growing from their heads, but their stats are otherwise identical. The divine hunters will pursue the PCs like a hunter pursues game - they will attempt to stake them out from chokepoints formed by the terrain, use cover, and attack from a distance to wound the PCs before mounting their steeds to ride them down while they nurse their injuries. This could easily turn into a tense situation with the PCs having to throw off the trail of tireless hunters - if you've seen any of the Predator movies, this should give you an idea of what to expect.

If, however, the PCs leave the stag unharmed, the next day, they will be approached by a hunter with a thick hood covering his face. He praises them on their good fortune to cross paths with the Wild Hunt, and even more so for their respect in leaving the kill to them. He will then leave the PCs with a horn etched with scenes of Kerne leading the Wild Hunt on their jaunts into the wilds, and explains that it may be used to call upon them three times. Once per day, the horn may be blown to summon the Wild Hunt (roll for the hunting party's composition as above), who will assist the party to the best of their ability. After the task they were summoned for is completed, the hunting party vanishes. After the horn has been used three times, the huntsman will take it back from the party, insisting that it can only be trusted in the hands of mortals for so long.

Alternatively, the Wild Hunt might invite the PCs on a hunt, if there are honored hunters and/or faithful devotees of Kerne among them. To be invited to such a task would be a great honor to any of Kerne's followers, but the Wild Hunt follows its own agenda. They are wont to carry the PCs into the middle of nowhere, well off their path, and leave them there as they get lost in the thrill of the hunt. And whatever prey they are pursuing might not be as simple as a white stag...

Friday Encounter: Peryton Party

Fewer limbs on this one
than I prefer, but you get
the idea.

This is partially an installment of my Friday Encounter column, but also partially a follow-up to my previous post on perytons. Since I first published it, it garnered some discussion on perytons and how to effectively use them in various places in the TRPG community, and that line of discussion brought up a lot of very interesting points.

One topic that was brought to my attention was that I forgot a couple of things about perytons as established by The Book of Imaginary Beings. First of all, in that book, perytons cannot be harmed by weapons. I can only imagine this is why they get damage resistance, and the fact that there's literary precedent for this makes me a little more willing to forgive that. What I feel would be interesting, though, would be to lean into the weapons part of that rule. Perhaps perytons take half damage from attacks with non-magical weapons, but not from unarmed attacks (a la Grendel) or environmental hazards? This could change up players' strategies and create some interesting tactical dilemmas when it comes to how they approach encounters. Of course, it's probably unwise to get close enough to a peryton in order to punch it in the face, but at least it would hurt it.

The other detail, and the one I think completely flips the script on how perytons can be used, is that a peryton can only ever kill one person during their lifetime. For starters, this has some interesting lore implications. Considering that perytons kill by tearing out hearts, and the offering of human (or humanoid) hearts is a part of their mating ritual, it would imply that each individual male peryton will only mate once. This is a good reason why perytons would be rare and legendary creatures, since it limits their numbers. If we go with perytons being intelligent, it could also suggest that the hunt of a heart is some sort of rite of passage for them - that they cannot earn the right to mate until they've proven themselves by committing murder, like avio-cervine Spartans. This honestly only helps support my notion of perytons as descendants of the god of war. Furthermore, the fact that perytons only kill once, and cast a humanoid shadow until they do so, has some intriguing implications that a DM could play with. Perhaps the shadow is that of the person that peryton is fated to kill?

It also raises the question of what female perytons are like, which is worthy food for thought in and of itself!

However, the limit on how many people a peryton can kill also puts their tactics in an entirely different light. If a peryton can only kill one person, it isn't going to bother taking on an entire party. Their quarry's companions are just going to get in the way. Perytons should want to separate the PCs from one another, making sure they're isolated and vulnerable, before they strike!

A wily party could even exploit this limitation, getting a peryton off their trail by somehow convincing it to kill someone else (perhaps by putting their scent on them, or making sure they're in their path, or using magical means). Of course, that presents its own ethical dilemma, since the party will have blood on their hands in doing so. On the flip side, if a peryton has already killed, the party would have no reason to fear it, and it could be used as a companion or even a mount - so long as they're prepared for it not to aid them against humanoid foes!

I understand that this encounter might seem a little bit simple in comparison to others I've written for this column. But consider how the lore of perytons unlocks worlds of potential in how they could be used and how to interact with them, and it could prove just as memorable at the table. Without further ado, I will present this encounter as my thesis on how to make perytons the nightmarish creatures they always should have been.

Peryton Party

This encounter can happen while on a road or in the wilderness, and it could probably fit a dungeon environment as well. It should ideally begin with the PCs picking up some clue of recent peryton activity - after all, perytons are most effective if played for horror, and a big part of horror is the buildup of the monster before it makes its entrance. Plus, introducing the mechanics of how perytons work will help get the PCs thinking of how to prepare for - or exploit - them.

The PCs come across what appear to be deer tracks (for extra fun, run this encounter while they're hunting game), but mixed in with the tracks of what seem to be a large bird. Brightly-colored feathers are scattered nearby, and some nearby trees show spots where the bark has been rubbed off, as though by a stag rubbing its antlers. A DC 10 Survival or Nature check will determine that these signs must have come from a peryton.

To determine how much a PC knows about perytons, they can make a DC 12 Nature or Religion check, which will reveal the following information. Clerics or paladins of Kerne or characters with the Acolyte background who belonged to a Kernate order will know all this information automatically. Feel free, of course, to adjust the details as necessary to fit your setting.

• 12+: Perytons are the children of Kerne, god of war and the hunt. They are fierce hunters. Male perytons hunt humans for their hearts, using their fangs to tear them from their chests in order to present them to mates.
• 15+: A peryton can only kill a humanoid once in its lifetime. Until that happens, it casts a humanoid shadow.
• 20+: The hide of a peryton is hardened against weapons, but vulnerable to magic.

Alternatively, if you want the PCs to learn this information, you can have them encounter a Kernate hermit who can inform them of these facts, or a book with information on perytons. What's important is you plant the knowledge before the creatures show themselves.

The clues on the trail did, in fact, come from a peryton - and that peryton wasn't alone. A hunting party of perytons is stalking the region in search of victims, and the party looks like the perfect target!

The number of perytons is equal to the number of PCs in the party. Rather than attacking as a group, the perytons prefer to exploit the environment and lure their targets away from support. They will hide over the covers of trees, in the bushes, or around corners, making odd sounds and rustling leaves to try and catch the attentions of individual PCs. Their goal is to lure them away from the rest of the group; if a peryton can lead its target out of line of sight from any of their companions, it will strike.

The perytons will prefer to fight one on one, but if the party decides to group up, they'll try to regroup in order to even the numbers on both sides of the conflict. If a peryton is unable to regroup with its companions, it will try to make use of the environment to gain an edge on its targets (see here for ideas). If outnumbered, vulnerable, and below half HP, the perytons will consider fleeing, but they are fierce fighters and will make use of every advantage they can get.

Of course, even if the PCs do overcome the perytons, there's always the question of how their ancestor will react. Will Kerne smile upon their deeds of valor, or will he seek vengeance for the slaughter of his children?

You're Sleeping On Perytons

In a game with as long a lifespan and as extensive of a bestiary as D&D, you're inevitably going to get some monsters that become instant hits, and some that languish in obscurity. We can't all be beholders. Some of these are real stinkers and have earned their reputation. But there are far more monsters that don't get used a lot, but deserve to.

Take, for instance, the peryton. I love perytons. Murderous deer-bird hybrids who feed on human hearts. It's a batshit insane concept, and it only gets crazier when you consider that by all accounts they were completely made up as a joke by a guy writing a book on mythical creatures, only for everyone to fall for it. But in my book, it's just crazy enough of a concept to work - and if Borges was able to fool so many people into thinking they came from a real Roman legend, he clearly did a good job in capturing the feel of real mythical beasts.

And yet, I can't remember any times perytons came up in a campaign I was involved with unless I was running it. I suspect that a lot of people even forget they're there. What little discussion on them I can find usually boils down to "what is this, some gryphon variant?" or retreading ages-old jokes about how stupid D&D's C-list monsters are, often unaware of their historical precedent.

Which is a shame - because perytons are metal as fuck.

Lest we forget, these things can tear the heart out of a man's chest and eat it. As a courtship ritual. If that doesn't sound hardcore to you, I don't know what does.

With a lot of "lame" or underused D&D monsters, it isn't the monster itself that's inherently bad - the problem is more that people don't know how to use it. The peryton is a prime example of this. Perytons are terrifying. My players still talk about one peryton encounter that I ran years ago, because the experience of being stalked by a killer heart-eating deerbird was just that nerve-wracking.

If we look deeper into peryton lore, we can find that they've often been depicted as having some rudimentary level of intelligence. Maybe closer to that of an unusually clever animal, but they're much more effective if we assume they're smarter than the average deer. Now, couple that with their dietary habits, and we can see the potential unfold.

If a peryton is a smart predator, it isn't going to lunge for its prey right away. It's going to stalk its targets, making sure they're weak and vulnerable before going in for the kill. It's going to set up ambushes and corner its prey so it has nowhere to run. Remember also that its principle prey - at least a prey species that's very important to its life cycle - is human beings. As humans, our greatest asset for survival is our endurance. We don't need to expend a whole lot of energy to travel long distances. If we want to kill an animal, we're able to track it for long enough so that when it gets tired and has to lay down, we can move in for the kill. Now, imagine a species that hunts creatures that do that - and you have a frighteningly persistent predator that's willing to lie in wait and play the long game if it has to, and that executes its drives with cold, calculated efficiency to minimize the prey's chances of escape.

What doesn't hurt is that the peryton has a few things going for it in terms of stealth. It could easily stay low to the bushes when stalking its prey to hide its avian features, so that an unsuspecting target might think it was just another deer - until it was too late. So too, the fact that they're flyers allows them to gain some altitude on their prey, so they can watch them and track their movements over long distances. One bit of peryton lore from the original Book of Imaginary Beings is that until a peryton has killed a human, its shadow looks like that of a man. I feel this is a nice, creepy detail worth stealing, and it could easily be exploited by a peryton stalking its prey, positioning itself in the path of the sun so that the shadow it casts might be mistaken for that of one of the PCs. That is, until you realize that all the PCs' locations are spoken for - so where is that extra shadow coming from?

There's a couple of things I do differently with perytons to make them easier to swallow. For one, I'd like to give them the forelegs of a deer back - it makes them seem a little more dignified than just birds with deer heads. Then, there's the lore. I feel that most people just go with the "created by the experimentation of a mad wizard" backstory, like so many other monsters consisting of disparate mashed-together animal parts. But there's no reason to do that - look at all the monsters of Greek mythology with similar features, and note that none of them need such explanations. I feel like one reason why so many people mistook the peryton for a real mythical beast is because it feels like one, with the same look and feel as many of the creatures you'd see in Greek myths or medieval bestiaries. We can do better than mad wizards. We can lean into this.

In my setting, the first perytons were the children of Kerne, the god of war and the hunt. It only makes sense, given their propensity for hunting and their gruesome diets, and the fact that Kerne is associated with deer, that they would be linked somehow. Many cults of Kerne consider perytons to be sacred beasts; some temples, including the High Temple in Keldrholt, even keep sacred perytons on the premises, and they are revered for their ruthlessness and their skill in the hunt. Every living thing in the Lunar Lands is sapient (though they communicate and perceive the world in their own ways), and perytons are no exception - they worship Kerne, and honor him as their forefather and master.

Because of this, one who dishonorably kills or harms a peryton may attract the wrath of Kerne. But he is the god of war and the hunt, and he understands that one who serves him well will deal out plenty of death. To that end, one who gives a peryton a fair fight, and proves a worthy foe, may well gain Kerne's favor if they can emerge victorious.

Gods of the Lunar Lands

We've talked enough about theory in the last few posts. It's time for another setting post - and today, I'm going to be talking about the pantheon of my setting. Before we begin, a few notes about how I handle religion in my games.

• The way religion works is generally in the Roman model. There are innumerable gods out there, representing just about every concept imaginable, but the popular cults tend to revolve around a select few with commonly applicable or useful domains. The gods are in effect personifications of the driving forces behind reality, embodying all aspects of creation.
• Beyond the popular cults, however, there are many examples of petty gods dedicated to trivial things, local deities, deified ancestor figures taken from Old Faith traditions, saints venerated within the cults of the gods, and the like. These things are not mutually exclusive.
• I try to portray a religion that is truly polytheistic, rather than henotheistic. There are temples and cults that are dedicated to a singular patron god, but the majority of people will venerate all of them. Even a cleric of Kerne will understand that an offering to Olmo is a good idea when preparing for a sea voyage.
• The way religion is practiced takes influence from Roman and Germanic paganism. Sacrifices of crops and livestock are common, and most people have a small household shrine to offer to the gods watching over their families. The most common sacrifices for each god are listed below.
• Aesthetically, I like to imagine clerics and temples taking inspiration from the Eastern Orthodox Church, if for no reason other than that it's so much lesser-used compared to Catholicism (and I say this as a Catholic). Besides, onion domes are cool.

You also can't convince me these monks don't look like fucking wizards.

• There aren't such things as racial deities in my setting, nor are there pantheons unique to certain regions. While traditions will obviously differ from place to place, and while certain gods may be more popular in different areas than others, the prayers of the faithful are all generally going to the same beings regardless of what or where they are. Dwarves, for instance, largely worship Weyland, and orcs worship Kerne and Morthanos, but they do so with their own rituals and their own names. This is more akin to how ancient polytheists viewed religion - there are records of correspondence between two Roman theologicians arguing other whether or not the God of the Jews was Jupiter or Saturn. I feel like this is a fun concept that makes pantheons seem more cohesive, like they belong in the world, rather than being made up for a game. That's something that's important to me.

Now, keep in mind, Pantheonism is only one religion in the Lunar Lands. Other traditions exist too, most notably Elementalism (the faith of Quel'Ahma that reveres the four elements as cosmic forces), the Old Faith (a mix of animism, ancestor worship, and a few cults of ancient gods mostly practiced by elves, druids, and hillfolk), and the mystic traditions of the Covered Path and its dervishes. I will discuss those at a later date, but the subject of this post will be on some of the most widespread cults to the Divine Forces.

Game stats here are given for 5e, but the lore should be system-neutral. Note that these are simply guidelines on how to represent members of each cult in games. It is not impossible, for instance, to play as a Voltanite paladin with the Oath of Conquest, but this may be rarer than paladins of other oaths.

Voltan is the God of Kings and King of Gods - the chief deity of the pantheon, and also the god of law, honor, and governance. He is invoked in trials and ordeals, with courts often held at his temples, and it is believed that he should guide each king and noble to act in accordance with his code of just rulership, giving back to those who honor their leader in return.

• Voltan's symbol is a crown, sometimes crossed by a sword with the balance of a scale as its crossguard. His associated color, used on the vestments of his priests and the domes of his temples, is gold.
• The center of Voltan's cult is the Holy City of Lescatie, and it is for this reason it is considered the most important cult center of all. It is led by Matriarch Wilmarina I, whose political clout rivals that of the Emperor.
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Domains: Order, Unity
• Oaths: Crown, Heroism, Vengeance
• Sacrifices: Gold, incense, cattle, wine

Marseah is the Goddess of Mercy, Healing, and Hospitality. The teachings of her cult stress kindness and generosity to others, and her faithful train in the arts of healing both mundane and magical. One of the most popular deities, she is the wife of Voltan.

• Marseah's symbol is a pair of hands clasped in a gesture of prayer. Her associated color is white.
• The center of Marseah's cult is the city of Heidenheim in Vardessy. It is led by Matriarch Hildegarde III.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Domains: Life, Peace
• Oaths: Devotion, Redemption
• Sacrifices: Incense, candles

Torvald is the God of Protection and Boundaries. A liminal deity, he stands in defense of the borders between this world and those beyond, and is thus associated with the banishment of evil and lifting curses, though he also is the patron of those who build walls and guard castles and cities.

• Torvald's symbol is a key fashioned of silver, as it is believed that he blessed silver as his holy metal and imparted it with the ability to repel the unnatural. His associated color is also silver.
• The center of Torvald's cult is the city of Torvaldshaupt in Vardessy. It is led by Patriarch Ulrich II.
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Domains: Protection
• Oaths: Watchers, Devotion
• Sacrifices: Silver, sheep

Solenna is the Goddess of the Sun, worshipped for blessing the fields with life and lifting the darkness of night. She is also venerated as a goddess of hope and happiness, and her clerics joyfully honor her by facing the path of the sun with their arms spread and raised above their heads. Her husband, Mondi, is the God of the Moons, though they are doomed to always be apart, except on the rare occasion of an eclipse.

• Solenna's symbol is that of a sun disk. Her associated colors are yellow and red.
• The center of Solenna's cult is the capital city of Venec in Togarmah. It is led by Patriarch Otho VI.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Domains: Light
• Oaths: Devotion, Redemption, Heroism
• Sacrifices: Wheat, chickens, candles, cattle

Morthanos is the God of Death and the Dead. Unlike the other gods, who dwell in the Heavens, he reigns from a palace in the Land of the Dead, where he rules over the shades of the deceased. However, he rarely returns to his throne, for he is busy collecting the souls of the fallen. Though many fear him (and usually refer to him simply as Death, lest he take the invocation of his name as an invitation), he tries to comfort the dead and dying, as his role is only a natural part in the cycle of being.

• Morthanos's symbol is a scythe crossed by a lantern, representing the two items he carries as he walks the roads of the mortal realm. His associated color is black.
• The center of Morthanos's cult is the city of Olarra in Taldameer. It is led by Matriarch Marisela III.
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Domains: Death, Grave
• Oaths: Watchers, Redemption
• Sacrifices: Incense, coins, candles, libations

Kerne is the God of War and the Hunt, governing both the pursuit of beasts and those of man. He traditionally takes the form of a musclebound man with the head of a stag (sometimes, particularly in southern lands, a bull), clutching a weapon in both hands, and he prizes valor and courage in battle. His priests often train in the fighting arts as much as they do in prayer, and his cult produces many paladins.

• Kerne's symbol is four weapons (swords, maces, spears, axes, etc.) placed on one another to form an eight-pointed star. His associated color is red, and he is also associated with bronze and iron.
• The center of Kerne's cult is the town of Keldrholt in the North. It is led by Patriarch Vidar I.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Domains: War, Zeal, Blood
• Oaths: Conquest, Glory, Ancients
• Sacrifices: Iron, weapons, the first kill of a hunt, ale, mead

This is but a few of the major gods of the Lunar Lands. More to follow in a later post!