Friday Encounter: Star Metal

This encounter can be used anywhere outdoors, but probably has the most potential in a wilderness environment relatively close to civilization.

One way or another, the PCs should catch sight of a falling star, shortly before they hear the sound of a loud crash in the distance. If they investigate this site, they will find a large, smoking rock lying in the middle of a crater amidst flattened grass and toppled trees. A meteor has fallen here!

A DC 10 Nature check will determine that meteors often contain iron. A DC 10 Religion check will reveal that meteoric iron is considered a gift from the heavens in many cultures - and a DC 10 Arcana check will reveal that this iron, known as star metal or thunderbolt iron, is prized for having magical properties beyond that of earthly iron.

If the iron is mined from the meteor, there is about 60 pounds' worth of metal that can be obtained. Objects such as weapons and armor can be smithed from this metal, at a rate of one pound iron to one pound of the final product (for example, it could be used to make a single set of splint armor, 10 shields, 20 longswords, 60 daggers, etc.). Any weapons and armor made from the iron are treated as +1 items of that type; additionally, creatures wearing armor made of star metal have Advantage on all spell save DCs, as the iron is resistant to magical effects.

However, this equipment cannot be made without the use of a forge and a trained blacksmith. The party may need to transport the meteor to a forge if they wish to make use of its bounty. The meteor weighs 150 pounds in total and is cumbersome to carry; a bipedal creature carrying it may not use their hands for any other action while hauling the meteor. It can be carried on a cart or sled, but this may slow travel if it weighs the vehicle down. Getting the meteor to a blacksmith willing to work it may well be a quest in and of itself.

A character with proficiency in smith's tools can forge an item from the iron at a rate of one day of work per item, but they must have access to the proper tools as well as a forge and anvil in order to do so.

Keep in mind that things might not be easy even after taking the meteor to someone who knows how to work it. The blacksmith will likely demand compensation for such a task, and may even want to keep some of the iron for themselves, especially if they aren't familiar with the party and no reason to trust them. Furthermore, if word spreads about the star metal (such as if the PCs return to town to look for someone who can work it or help transport it, or if they show up in a settlement with the meteor in tow), they might attract the attention of thieves, or the feudal lord might lay claim to the iron if the meteor fell in his domain.

For that matter, the fair folk are repelled by iron, and they would have good reason to keep a source of it hidden so that it cannot be used against them. If the meteor is not collected in 1d4 days, a fey lord in the area will place a spell over it to make it invisible to mortal eyes, while fairies will try to waylay anyone who goes near the site - or accost them, if they must.

Friday Encounter: Archimedes's Well

Here's a simple two-room puzzle designed to be slotted into a larger dungeon. This one is based on Archimedes's principle that an object displaces water equal to its mass, and attempts to simplify these physics for the sake of gameplay. Keep in mind that the intended solution to this puzzle may not be obvious unless your players are familiar with the theorem, although there are alternative solutions as well.

There should be one room in the dungeon with a large well in the center of the floor. The well drops a distance of about 200 feet before coming to standing water. Looking into the well reveals that a golden crown is floating atop the water, its surface reflecting light off any torches or lanterns, but it's far too deep to be reached from the surface.

A short distance away from the well is a pile of stones of various sizes. The third feature of the room is a door leading to the north (or whatever direction you want, it isn't important). On the wall opposite the door is a chipped, faded mural of a naked man holding his fists high in triumph, with the word "EUREKA" written over his head.

The intended solution to this puzzle is for the PCs to drop stones into the well, displacing enough water to lift the crown up to where it can be reached. They need to raise the water level a total of 200 feet in order to retrieve the crown.

However, they must do this without making too much noise, or they risk alerting an ogre who resides in the room to the north. When the PCs first enter the room, the ogre is asleep, and the sound of his snoring can be heard if one listens at the door. He's sleeping too soundly to be woken by normal conversation or footsteps. However, if the party makes any loud noises, or isn't careful in how they drop the stones, he will wake up and charge into the room.

If the PCs drop stones into the well, the water level rises by an amount of feet equal to the weight of the stone. They can use any combination of the stones to raise the crown, but every time they drop one, they must make a Stealth check; the ogre is alerted if the check fails.

The pile contains:

• Five 20-pound stones (DC 25; requires two hands to carry)
• Eight 15-pound stones (DC 20; requires two hands to carry)
• Ten 10-pound stones (DC 15)
• Fifteen 5-pound stones (DC 10)
• Twenty 1-pound stones (DC 5)

If the PCs wish to appraise the crown, a DC 15 Nature check will reveal that it appears to be worth 1000 GP. However, if the check passes by a value of 25 or more, it will be determined that the gold of the crown is actually mixed with silver, cutting the value down to 500 GP. Alternatively, you could use the crown for another puzzle elsewhere in the dungeon, such as putting it on the head of a statue to open a door.

Many players might attempt to solve this puzzle through alternative means, such as levitating into the well or using spider climb to scale the walls. Use your judgment to determine how this should be addressed - you should reward PCs for thinking outside the box, not punish them for not guessing what you wanted them to do.

Optionally, if you're worried about PCs getting into the well, you can have a water weird at the bottom, lurking in the water. It lays dormant as long as the PCs stay out of the well, but will come to life and attack if they enter it.

Friday Encounter: Drinking with Satyrs

This encounter could be used on the road, in the wilderness, or in a dungeon. If encountered outdoors, it works best at night. If the PCs come upon it weary after a day of traveling, they may be forced to weigh their options more.

The party should come across a campfire where three men are sitting around drinking heartily from wineskins, laughing and singing all the while. All of them are wearing hats and boots. As soon as they catch sight of the party, they introduce themselves as a group of merry wayfarers partaking in the joys of a life unburdened by oversight and authority, and invite the PCs to join them, citing that if they too choose to live life for themselves, they should be happy to celebrate likewise.

However, not all is as it seems. The three men are really satyrs in disguise, using their hats to cover their horns and boots to cover their hooves. Using Divine Sense or a similar ability will detect fey creatures at the campfire, and a successful DC 10 Perception check will note that they seem to be staggering around as though they aren't used to wearing shoes - though that could just from them being drunk. A result of 20 or more will also note that one of them seems to bleat like a goat when he laughs.

The three men do genuinely just want to enjoy living life on their own terms, and believe that all should follow their philosophy. They have no other ulterior motives besides inviting the PCs for a bit of fun, and they've disguised themselves as humans mainly because they thought it would be amusing. However, what they don't realize is that mortals aren't exactly equipped to handle the fey wine they drink.

If the PCs reject the satyrs' offer, their leader will be disappointed and attempt to persuade them to stay, but they will not force them or inconvenience them in any way if they don't comply. If they choose to join in, the satyrs will happily invite them to their campfire and pass them all wineskins. They will sing long into the night and rope the PCs into games - you could use the drinking contest mechanics I came up with for this previous encounter, or just roleplay everything. However, what's important is that the PCs should black out by the end of the night. No one can hope to outdrink a satyr, and the wine of the fair folk is a potent one indeed.

When the PCs come to, they should be in an unfamiliar location, with a pounding headache and no recollection of anything that happened for the rest of the night. The satyrs will not harm them in any way, as doing that would be a violation of hospitality, and all their belongings will be where they left them - they just know that something wild happened last night. The idea is to get the PCs lost in a creative way, and have them try to find their way back to where they were when they have no recollection of the route. You could also leave the PCs with clues to the sorts of insane antics they got into while drunk, which may provide hooks for future adventures (think The Hangover, or that one quest from Skyrim), but be advised that not all players enjoy having their characters do things outside of their control, so it's best to know your table for this part.

Friday Encounter: Powder Keg

Here's another encounter designed to give the PCs access to a potentially powerful strategic asset, but one that presents plenty of dangers too. It would make the most sense on a road, and should ideally be used in an area with a developed military. If you're using it, you should do so in a setting that has developed gunpowder or similar technologies.

While on the road, the PCs come upon an abandoned cart on the side of the road, carrying a large barrel filled with a fine black dust with a strong sulfurous odor. A DC 10 Arcana or Nature check will determine that the barrel is full of gunpowder; a character who has served in a military setting in which gunpowder weapons were used will know this automatically. The barrel was being transported to a military camp to refuel their cannon, but was lost along the way, and now sits unclaimed. If you're concerned that the players might think the army will return to the barrel in the immediate future, you can put some skeletons dressed in armor around the cart, making it clear that whoever was guarding it have long been slain.

The idea here is to leave the PCs with a large explosive device on their hands - a setup ripe for mayhem, as many a DM would know. There are many situations an adventurer might get into where having access to an improvised bomb is an appealing thought. However, there are a number of logistical difficulties to this as well. The barrel weighs 80 pounds and must be transported by a horse or other Large-sized creature, or by two Medium-sized creatures pulling the cart. It's also quite cumbersome and may be hard to get through narrow passages, though enterprising players might see potential in rolling it down hallways, ramps, or staircases.

If a fuse is attached to the barrel and lit, it will explode in one round. Any creature in a 20-foot radius of the barrel must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 8d8 fire damage, taking half damage on a failed save. The explosion could also be used to blast through rocks, potentially bypassing obstacles or creating an avalanche.

Alternatively, this much gunpowder would draw a substantial price at any marketplace. The barrel can be sold for 3000 GP, or 5000 GP to a particularly invested buyer, such as an alchemist or a rival commander (be they a bandit or a leader of another army). However, if the PCs go around toting a large barrel of gunpowder everywhere, they may attract suspicion, and the army that owned it in the first place may want it back. If the PCs sold it to a rival power, that might land them in even bigger trouble. And if something could kill even an army detachment with a barrel of gunpowder on their hands, that could pose a problem if it's still in the area...

Friday Encounter: A Witch's Broom

Here's an encounter aimed at giving the PCs access to a powerful magic item that could change their approach to problems - and to the strings attached. It can be used in any environment, but may make the most sense in the open wilderness.

The party should come across an unusual sight - the dead body of an old woman, dressed in a black robe and with an assortment of herbs and small bones in pouches on her belt, lies against a tree, hillside, or other obstacle. In her hand, she clutches a broomstick, which is inlaid with golden bands and has the word "Alako" engraved in the wood. A DC 10 Arcana or History check will determine that this means "flight" in Elvish. A character who can speak Elvish will know this automatically. Additionally, a DC 20 Investigation check will indicate that the body shows signs of blunt force trauma to the head and face, such as bruises on the skin.

The dead woman is a witch by the name of Katyusha Stepanova. She was riding on her enchanted broomstick when it crashed into an obstacle, killing her. Katyusha has nothing of value on her person save for the broomstick, which acts as a broom of flying - it can fly at a speed of 50 feet per turn when the command word of "Alako" is spoken. This naturally may prove a useful asset to the party, and may affect how they approach puzzles and obstacles.

However, nothing comes without a price, especially at the table. Katyusha had a sister - an older, more responsible witch named Vitalya Stepanova, who was aware of her sister's dalliances and wanted to keep a close eye on her. To that end, she placed a scrying charm on Katyusha's broomstick so that she could track it from her tower and watch wherever her sister went. And, if she tunes her crystal ball to the broom only to see it being carried around by a bunch of complete strangers, she'll assume the worst.

Vitalya will surmise that the PCs have killed Katyusha and made off with her broomstick - and to that end, she'll seek revenge. She will send curses against the party, afflicting them with foul weather, and command the creatures of the wilderness to rise up against them. Vitalya does not directly identify herself as being behind these attacks, at least not at first. Ideally, the PCs should run into several such encounters with Vitalya's magic before they start realizing that these incidents, and the broomstick, are connected. If they question NPCs in the area, they may be able to pass on rumors of the two witch sisters, and point them in the direction of their residences.

If the players start putting two and two together, or if they keep bypassing the encounters without picking up on anything, you may want to have Vitalya make a more direct appearance threatening them. This might lead the PCs to her tower if they want to settle things - where there will surely be more dangers awaiting them...

Friday Encounter: The Sacrifice

This encounter's another one to subvert your players' expectations and present them with a moral quandry to solve. It works best on the road, since the PCs should ideally be unfamiliar with the local area. However, you may wish to plant some rumors in nearby settlements so that the players know what to expect - or at least they think they do.

While traveling, the party comes upon a small village where a strange ceremony is taking place. Four young men and women are parading through the streets bedecked in flowers and accompanied by guards, yet despite the festive scene, the townspeople are all watching silently with grim expressions. Even the youths on parade appear to be nervous, avoiding eye contact; some can even be heard sobbing. If the PCs decide to ask the villagers what's going on, they'll explain in hushed tones:

The village is in debt to a cult of demon worshipers, after an inhabitant of the town sold his soul generations ago. Now, the cult demands a sacrifice of four of the town's youths every spring, or the forces of Hell will be displeased and seek to collect their bargain by force. The sacrifice has happened every year for as long as anyone can remember, and no one has dared to defy the cult for fear of the consequences that may bring. Although the townsfolk regret having to sign away the lives of their children, they see it as their unfortunate duty to bear, and don't dare to question it. In particular, one girl, Katrin, is the beloved daughter of the town innkeeper, Rikerd Gerst. If the PCs stop at the inn, he will be visibly stricken with grief.

Naturally, this all sounds like a setup for the PCs to put a stop to the cult. If they ask around, the townspeople will give them directions to the site of the sacrifice a short distance away. If you like, you can spin this out into a full-fledged dungeon, or if you'd like to keep things simple, it could just be an altar in a grove.

Either way, if the PCs choose to pursue the sacrificial victims, they will find them gathered around a raised, stepped platform topped by an altar, with robed cultists watching silently. Enter Action Time at this point, and track the number of rounds that pass. The altar is a terrain feature with the Three-Quarters Cover, High Ground, Ledge, and Steep tags.

There are eight cultists gathered - six stand chanting in a circle, while one leads the victims, and an eighth waits by the altar with a curved sacrificial dagger. Each round, the cultist leading the victims will walk them higher up the steps to the altar. If the PCs show themselves, the six chanting cultists will attempt to hold them off, but the other two will not cease their duties.

Starting at the third round, if the cultist leading the victims and the dagger-bearer are still alive and not incapacitated, one of the victims will be laid on the altar, where the dagger-bearer slits their throat, killing them instantly. From then on, these two cultists will kill one victim per round as long as they are alive and not otherwise engaged in combat. If one of them dies or is incapacitated, and there is a cultist in the group that can fill the position, that cultist will attempt to disengage from combat and take up their role. This happens even if the PCs are an obvious threat. If this happens, the timer pauses for one round, but resumes from where it was left the next round. If all four victims are killed, the two cultists join in the fight.

If the PCs manage to defeat the cultists and return the youths to their families, the townspeople will be grateful, rewarding each PC with 100 GP per victim rescued safely. However, they will still wonder with noticeable anxiety what will happen now that the ritual has failed.

As a matter of fact, their fears are warranted. If the blood of less than four innocents was spilled on the altar that night, the pact is broken, and the sacrificial altar collapses into a hellmouth - a portal to the pits of Hell itself. The terrain around the altar warps, with the ground becoming parched and cracked and the trees gnarled, storms crackle overhead, and demons pour forth from the pit, laying waste to anything in their path. The PCs may well have traded one problem for a bigger one - and they might need to take greater measures to seal the portal they've created.

Friday Encounter: Tournament at the Bridge

Art by Peter Jackson
(Not that one)

This encounter, if you'll believe it or not, is based on a real historical anecdote from 1434. I brought it up way back in my previous post on the medieval tradition of pas d'armes, noting that it would make an excellent encounter at the table. Well, here's one way you could take that.

Background

Sir Ascanio di Tolceda and Sir Michal Klerke are two knights who have long been friendly rivals, with a long history of comparing their heroic exploits and seeking to one-up each other at every turn. Both of them believe in the virtues of knightly valor, and hold that glory in battle is one of the finest pursuits a knight can aim for. To that end, they are firm believers in the tradition of pas d'armes, and they and their followers have been engaged in many a duel before. This time, however, the two knights have arranged a contest far beyond anything they've pulled off yet.

The two knights and their retinues have come to a well-traveled bridge and determined that it shall be the site of a grand tournament. No knight may leave until everyone on each side has fought everyone else in a joust; only then will one be able to determine their men are the greater. All the knights are stoked with the fires of competition, and no one dares to disappoint their liege. They are determined to keep to the tournament and see it out to the end, and will not move from the bridge until it is over.

The problem is, both rivals have shown up with a great host of knights, and the tournament has already raged for several days, with no sign of slowing down. And there are plenty of travelers looking to cross the bridge, only to be held up by the dueling knights. The people are growing restless...

The Encounter

This encounter should be used while the PCs are traveling on a major route that gets a lot of traffic, such as an important trade or pilgrimage route. As they approach a bridge, they notice that the path is backed up with a considerable number of travelers and carts - and they look frustrated and listless. The side of the road is lined with vividly-colored pavillions, where men are polishing their armor and squires can be seen tending to horses. Up ahead on the bridge itself, two knights in full armor are charging at one another along the length of the bridge, lances drawn, while their associated retinues and companions cheer from the sidelines.

If the PCs speak to the travelers, they will relate that the knights have been jousting for the last three days, and this has slowed traffic over the bridge. Some of the travelers have been waiting for hours to cross, but every time one knight is unhorsed, another joust begins. They've tried speaking to the knights, but none of the travelers are of noble class, and the knights won't listen to them, feeling they have no understanding of the demands of chivalry. The travelers request the help of the PCs - maybe they stand a better chance of getting through to them, especially if there are fellow knights among them.

The knights insist that their tournament is a matter of great importance, and they are not willing to put it on hold for anyone, nor are they willing to leave the bridge and admit their cowardice. Besides, they've already set up an extensive camp and it would be a lot of work to move it. If the party tries to ask the knights to leave, they will only hear a PC out if they are themselves a knight or noble, and even then, they had best have a persuasive (or deceptive) enough argument. However, if presented with direct orders from a noble of higher rank (such as a count, duke, or king), they will defer to authority.

The PCs might have better luck if they try to meet the knights on their own terms. If asked, they will be led to Ascanio and Michal, who are serving as judges for the tournament and overseeing the bouts. The two knights will gladly allow the PCs to join the tournament, and will provide armor, lances, and horses for anyone who does not have any of their own, but expect them to be returned at the end of the tournament. The two knights will both encourage the PCs to join their respective team, attempting to win them over with grand accounts of their heroic deeds. Even though they are rivals, they respect each other as knights and will not dare to besmirch each others' honor. They just insist that they are clearly the superior knight to support.

To make things more interesting for the players, both knights are in the possession of a magical artifact that they are willing to surrender to anyone who can best them in a joust. Sir Ascanio has a lance that grants Advantage on all attack and damage rolls as long as the attack is made from atop a horse or other steed, while Sir Michal has a helmet that grants the effect of a set of eyes of the eagle when worn. You may also want to have one or both knights be in the service of noble houses or other factions in your campaign - siding with one or the other may impact a PC's standing with those factions.

You can potentially stretch this encounter out into an entire "tournament arc," with the PCs facing off against multiple opponents. Some of these opponents could be knights they have previously encountered in the campaign or have preexisting relationships with. Furthermore, the PCs might face off against knights in the tournament that could become recurring rivals later down the line. If you want an encounter that you can resolve quickly, though, you can simply have the PCs challenge one of the rival knights directly, and he will agree to withdraw from the bridge if he is bested in a joust. All competitors can be assumed to have the stats of a knight, and use warhorses as mounts.

Several people have written jousting rules for 5e, so feel free to use whatever system works best for your table here. I was going to list a set of my own, but in researching the subject, these rules are pretty close to what I would use anyway, so I'm just going to leave them here.

Alternatively, the PCs could try looking for an alternative route around the bridge. This route, however, may prove to be a deadly and treacherous one, and the travelers may want to come along too to scope it out. This could turn into an escort mission for the PCs.

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: The Guardian Beast

A lot of my Friday Encounters center around a couple of themes I find ripe for exploiting when it comes to game material - subverting PC expectations, or confronting the party with moral dilemmas. Well, I hope people aren't getting tired of that, because this one has both.

This encounter is best used while the PCs are on the road, and come to a small isolated village. Ideally, you should drop rumors in the leadup to the encounter - for instance, in nearby settlements, the party may hear that people have sighted a foreboding shape flying over the horizon, and it seems to be coming closer and closer. They should also hear that number of farms and homesteads further down the road have been laid to waste, the buildings shattered and the people and animals vanished, with only bones left behind. Several such rumors describe the ground being scarred into wasteland, as though the fields were burned with acid, though none have seen such a desolation in person.

Eventually, this trail should take them to a town where the people know of a mountain nearby, where a chimera dwells in its cave. The villagers have known of this creature for years, and some even know the trail to its lair, but they note that it has never caused any trouble for the town before. However, if nearby settlements are being devastated, many suspect the chimera is responsible - and when it lives so close by, there is a growing sense of paranoia that their village may be next. A few have declared that the chimera must be slain before it takes another life, but no one is brave enough to make such a journey. However, if the PCs seem capable, one of the local guides will be happy to show them the way.

The chimera dwells at the summit of a mountain near the town. You may choose to add other encounters or hazards along the way as you wish, or even expand the lair into a full-fledged dungeon. However, the chimera should be found in a cavern strewn with bones. None of them appear to be human bones, and the bones of several dangerous monsters can be found among them. Nevertheless, if the PCs approach the chimera with weapons drawn, it will not hesitate to attack.

If the chimera is slain, the townspeople will celebrate, rewarding the PCs with a grand feast and offering 90 GP per party member in return; they will also find 4000 GP's worth of gold and jewels, a potion of fire giant strength, and a wand of secrets in the chimera's lair. However, about a week afterward (this can be adjusted if the PCs seem intent on moving on quickly), they will discover the terrible truth.

The chimera wasn't behind the attacks at all - rather, they were the work of a black dragon starting to expand its range into the nearby area. The chimera, in fact, had established itself as the protector of the village, and had fended off attacks by monsters for many years. Without it, though, the village is defenseless - and it will be the dragon's next target! The next time the PCs come to the village, they will find it a smoldering ruin, and the dragon may still be around. If the PCs don't have any desire to revisit the village, they can discover the consequences of their actions when an NPC, perhaps a survivor from the town, relays the news and warns of the dragon's threat.

I've tried to leave a few clues in this encounter, but if you don't think your players will pick up on them, you might allow PCs to research local lore, in which case they may discover that a folk hero from the town decided to spare a chimera's life years ago, and the chimera decided to defend the village ever since. This should be a relatively obscure legend, to explain why the people fear the chimera. If the PCs don't kill the chimera, the dragon will still attack, but this time the two beasts will do battle - and the party may well be caught in the middle of it!

Saga of the Ortegids: Other Pantheons

The Nine Gods comprise the main pantheon of The Saga of the Ortegids. These are the gods you can expect to be worshiped in any temple in respectable society, no matter where in the world(s) you go. However, these are not the only gods that exist in this universe. Other cults to other powers might not be as large, widespread, powerful, or accepted, but they do exist. Here are some other gods worshiped in the world of the Ortegids, and the roles they play in the setting.

The Beast Gods

A number of gods exist that are always depicted in animal form. These are believed to be older, primeval spirits, their cults predating the formation of those of the Nine Gods - according to some theologists, the Beast Gods existed long before the Nine Gods ever came to this world. In most of the world, worship of the Beast Gods has been supplanted by that of the Nine Gods, though they still have a following, especially among so-called barbarian societies such as Aliahan, Suland, and the hill tribes scattered throughout wild areas of the world. They are also commonly worshiped by beastmen, and some elven kingdoms. Worship of the Beast Gods is tolerated, as their followers can comfortably coexist with civilized society, but tends to be considered backward and the domain of heathens in the countryside among more advanced realms.

Ramia, the God-Bird, is celebrated as the great phoenix, and a bringer of hope and life to the world. Her shrine sits on the frozen island of Liamland, where it is said that once an Age she emerges from a pit of fire tirelessly watched over by two sacred virgins, then flies around the world, chooses one who is destined to be a great leader of men, and then burns herself upon her own pyre so the cycle can continue again. She is also associated with the ideals of freedom and exploration, owing to her power of flight, which makes her popular among adventurers. Although one of the Beast Gods, Ramia is invoked in the courts of many kings due to her powers of prophecy and association with divine right, and her holy symbol can be found on many coats of arms, including that of the Ortegid Dynasty - Erdrick the Aliahanian was a follower of Ramia, and was said to have ridden her into battle.

• Ramia appears as a massive bird with iridescent plumage. Her holy symbol is a stylized depiction of a phoenix in flight.
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Domains: Life, Light, Nature, Tempest
• Oaths: Conquest, Glory, Vengeance

Nim-Tso, the Serpent God, is the god of poisons, thieves, murderers, and other criminals. He is associated with trickery and betrayal, and for this reason, cults devoted to him are not openly tolerated. However, there are many guilds of thieves and assassins that pay homage to him. For some, this is treated as more of a metaphorical bond, associating their clandestine operations with that of the sinister serpent god, but other, darker organizations conduct their grim business in Nim-Tso's name, and some are rumored to offer dark rituals, offering human sacrifices to their dark god. No matter how many times the authorities try to stamp out these illicit snake cults, it seems that a new one always springs up not long after. Aside from his patronage over criminals, Nim-Tso is also revered by the lizardmen, who consider him their honored forefather.

• Nim-Tso takes the form of a massive serpent. His holy symbol is two snakes coming together, facing each other, but they're one.
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Domains: Nature, Trickery
• Oaths: Treachery

The Forbidden Gods

These are the gods toward whom worship is not tolerated by most societies, as their portfolios are considered incapable with civil life - the gods that govern such things as death, destruction, and cruelty. Worshiping them usually entails partaking in overtly destructive behavior, and thus their cults are forced to operate in the shadows - there are some exceptions, however, when these cults grow powerful enough to challenge civilized rule, as happened with the Children of Hargon, a Malrothite cult that managed to usurp the rulership of Rhone during the War of the Three Kingdoms. Although these gods are not counted among the Nine Gods due to matters of good taste, they are nonetheless agreed to be beings of the same order, and just as powerful and immortal. They are not to be confused with demons, which do not as a rule seek followers, and even the most powerful demons are less powerful than gods. Generally, however, demons do worship the Forbidden Gods, as their interests tend to overlap, and cultists of the Forbidden Gods often summon demons to do their bidding. To shamelessly rip off Knight at the Opera, demons of the Lunar Lands are classical; demons in Saga of the Ortegids are heavy metal. The Forbidden Gods are also worshiped by the more savage tribes of beastmen.

Art by noba

Zoma, the Three-Eyed God of the Winter Wind, is the god of death, decay, and stagnation - he who sees to the end of all things. He is associated with ice, cold, snow, and winter, due to how frost kills crops and brings an end to the harvest season. Traditionally, he is held as the twin brother of Rubiss, and her equal and opposite in all respects. Long before the first humans drew breath, Zoma rebelled against his brethren in the God-War, feeling spurned for his macabre character, and attempted to get revenge on the other gods by bringing death to their creations, but was exiled to the Black Pits of Hades. To this day, however, he plots his vengeance, and seeks mortals to further his goals. He taught necromancy to mortals through the manipulation of life and death - unlike Melisine, he's just tasked with making things die, not what happens to them afterward, and he can't really care less about that.

• Zoma's preferred form is that of a horned three-eyed giant with sickly blue skin, and he may manifest in this form if the proper ritual is performed, but most of the time can only project enough power over the mortal realm to appear as a gigantic eye spanning the sky. His holy symbol, likewise, is that of an eye.
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Domains: Death, or use a School of Necromancy Wizard to represent a pilgrim of Zoma.
• Oaths: Oathbreaker

Malroth, the Many-Fanged God of the Black Pits, is the god of chaos and destruction. If Zoma represents the silent, slow deterioration of entropy, then Malroth is the loud, fiery, violent cataclysm that destroys indiscriminately; the beast that will one day devour the universe and brings about natural disasters to sate his lust for wanton ruin. He is perhaps the oldest of the gods, ruling over the Black Pits since the dawn of existence, and will bring about the end of all things when the apocalypse comes. While most mortals view him with horror and disgust, for obvious reasons, he is considered the father of all demons, and many monstrous beings are said to have spawned from his flesh. His cults, however scarce, are some of the most terrifying. Some fear him, offering sacrifices to placate his hunger so that the end times might be delayed...others, worse yet, seek to summon him in order to accelerate the end of the world.

• Malroth appears as a hideous creature with six clawed arms, bat-like wings, and a grinning mouth full of fangs. His symbol is a fanged maw flanked by wings.
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Domains: Death, War
• Oaths: Conquest, Oathbreaker

Friday Encounter: The Leprechaun's Drinking Contest

This encounter could work either in the wilderness or in a dungeon - really, anything far enough removed from civilization.

The PCs come across a little man with pointy ears, all dressed in green, seated on a rock with a large pot of gold beside him. He introduces himself as Fachanan, a leprechaun, and welcomes the PCs to his domain. If asked about the pot of gold, he will explain that, like all leprechauns, he watches over great riches and will not allow mortals to take them for themselves. If he is accosted, he attempts to dazzle the party with a hypnotic pattern spell before turning invisible and scurrying off; the pot of gold will also vanish.

However, he will offer to part with the gold as long as he is defeated in a fair competition - and he proposes a drinking contest, producing a large flagon of ale almost too big for him to have any right to carry. He will face each member of the party, one by one, and if any are left standing by the end of it, then the treasure is theirs.

Such a task might seem simple, but it is no easy task to outdrink a leprechaun. If a PC wishes to engage in Fachanan's contest, they must take turns drinking from the flagon with Fachanan, and whoever surrenders or passes out is eliminated from the competition. Make a note of the PC's Constitution score (the entire score, not the modifier). Every time they take a drink, they lose 1d8 points from their Constitution score until the next long rest. When their Constitution score drops by half, they take 2d8 damage from each drink and have Disadvantage on all attack rolls and skill checks. For the purposes of the contest, Fachanan's Constitution is 20, and he heals 1d4-1 points every round. If he manages to beat one of the PCs in the contest, his Constitution returns to its maximum value.

The flagon is bottomless and will not run out, and Fachanan will not allow anyone to interfere in the contest. If they do, he will accuse them of cheating and curses the entire party with ill fortune; they have Disadvantage on all rolls until the next long rest. He then disappears, taking the pot of gold with him.

If Fachanan is beaten in the contest, he will give the PCs his pot of gold. The pot contains a total of 6000 GP in gold and jewels, but it weighs 10 pounds and is cumbersome to carry, so getting it to a place where the treasure may be spent may be a challenge in and of itself. If all the PCs end up passing out, they may well awake to find they have gotten into all sorts of escapades while drunk on fey liquor...

Saga of the Ortegids: The Nine Gods, Part 2

Here's the other half of the main pantheon of The Saga of the Ortegids. See here for part 1.

Gaius, the Forgemaster, is the god of the sun, fire, and the forge. He is the patron god of the dragons (and Dragovians), who - as beasts of fire - regard him as their forefather, but he is also a patron to the dwarves thanks to his association with the forge. Legend has it that he taught the secrets of fire and metalworking to mortals. His temples tend to be placed in areas of volcanic activity, as volcanoes are revered as the chimneys of his workshop buried deep within the earth; when a volcano erupts, it is because he is drawing on its heat to forge fantastic treasures. Gaius has created many magical artifacts, but the most celebrated of all is the Sphere of Light, a ball of congealed radiance and the most sacred treasure known to dragonkind. He originally created it as a gift to the dragons of Erdland, but it has since passed into the hands of the Kingdom of Alefgard, who use it to control the Inner Sun of Torland.

• Gaius's appearance varies depending on who he appears to. He tends to appear as a stout bearded man or a dwarf when dealing with humanoids, and as a dragon with scales that flicker in the colors of fire when dealing with dragons and their kin. Depictions of the god in artwork likewise reflect the culture of their origin.
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Domains: Forge, Light, Nature
• Oaths: Crown

Astrella, the Eternal Muse, is the goddess of love, beauty, music, and the arts. She taught mortals the secrets of music, and delights in striking them with the inspiration to compose great works. Her temples often exhibit paintings, sculptures, and tapestries donated by the faithful, and her prayers are always sung, some of them incorporating instruments. She also has power over romantic attraction, and presides over all marriages and oaths of love - though legends say that she is not afraid to compel people to fall madly in love with animals or inanimate objects simply because the act amused her. As befitting of a goddess of such passion, she is not afraid to encourage roguish tendencies in her worshipers, and her creed urges that one must follow their heart's true desire, regardless of ethics or the law of the land. This has made her cult popular among thieves and criminals, and a controversial one among many authorities.

• Astrella appears as a striking woman - it is said that everyone who beholds her sees their ideal of beauty. Other legends say that this is only a guise, as beholding her in her true radiance would cause a mortal to go blind.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Domains: Trickery, Unity, Zeal
• Oaths: Devotion, Treachery

Wyrdpater, the Father of Fate, is the god of fate, prophecy, and magic. He alone knows the ultimate fate of all beings, and sees to it that they play their part in the grand scheme of reality. He keeps the secrets of fate closely guarded from mortals, fearing that if they know of their destiny they will seek to work against it; to that end, he is known to place curses upon those who know too much, and sends his agents to bring them into line. He has, however, entrusted certain mortals with the ability to see into the future, or even manipulate reality itself - this is in itself a means to further the plan in mysterious ways that only he truly understands. Through this he imparted mortals with the secrets of magic, though his teachings have spread far beyond his original selection, and magicians conducting their own research have discovered further secrets independent of his guidance. Some say there are some spells even Wyrdpater refused to teach to mortal man, such as the pursuit of eternal life. To pursue these forbidden magics is a dangerous pursuit, but one considered the ultimate goal of sorcery among some circles.

• Wyrdpater is depicted as a wizened old man with a long beard, dressed in the garb of a wizard. He is usually shown carrying a scroll, upon which is written the fates of all mortals.
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Domains: Arcana, Fate, Knowledge, or use a Diviner to represent a pilgrim of Wyrdpater.
• Oaths: Ancients, Watchers

Verina, the Beastmatron, is the goddess of animals and nature. She is the mother and mistress of all beasts, and her priests are gifted with the ability to commune with them. The forest is her domain, and her ceremonies are often held in the open air at sacred springs or groves, many of which are said to be the dwellings of her nymph daughters. In part, this is because she opposes any intrusions on the balance of nature, considering artificiality and construction to defile the sanctity of the natural world. Her worshipers will fiercely guard her sacred places from outsiders, and she will rally wild beasts to fight alongside them in their defense. According to legend, she does not dwell with her divine brethren; instead, she prefers to wander the world to witness the beauty of nature up close, though only select mortals can see her. Unexplained breezes are attributed to her running by.

• Verina is often shown as a young woman barefoot and dressed in simple animal hides, with branches tangled in her hair, or a crown of leaves. She is sometimes depicted as a beastman (especially among beastmen).
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Domains: Nature
• Oaths: Ancients, Watchers

Hesper, the Hearth Mother, is the goddess of hearth and home. She does not have any major temples - instead, she commands the faithful to worship her over the fire, during everyday tasks, and before going to sleep at night, thanking her for their good fortune during the day. Keeping the home orderly and providing for one's family is considered a worshipful act. She commands her followers to respect the sanctity of hospitality, and commands them not to take up arms unless attacked first. Despite her homebody nature, her cult has many pilgrims, as she inspires them to go forth performing acts of charity to the poor and downtrodden who have no home or family to call their own, standing in the defense of those who have no one else to care for them. Other priests run hostels for weary travelers and the poor to rest.

• Hesper appears as a stout, matronly woman in an apron. Despite her divine nature, she does not favor the grandiose pageantry of other gods, and prefers to present herself modestly and humbly. As such, depictions of her are difficult to distinguish from those of ordinary people.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Domains: Life, Peace, Protection
• Oaths: Redemption

Saga of the Ortegids: The Nine Gods, Part 1

Following up from last post, it's high time we began to lay out the pantheon we're working with for The Saga of the Ortegids. For the primary religion of the setting, I've arbitrarily decided on a set of nine gods, all of whom are traditionally regarded as siblings. These gods are worshipped more or less universally throughout Erdland and Torland, and any holy man will likely know a few prayers to each of them, even if they may focus on a single patron (though some are generalists). There are other gods that coexist with the Nine Gods, and may even be worshiped alongside them in some temples, but are not considered a part of the same group; these will be discussed in a later post.

The Dragon Quest games do give us some gods to work with, but most of this is me filling in the space between the broad strokes with my own creations, and striving to create something with a suitably sword-and-sorcery feel. There will inevitably be some overlap with the gods of the Lunar Lands, but I've done my best to make this pantheon feel distinct.

Rubiss, the Allmother, is the goddess of life, creation, and fertility. One of the most popular of the Nine Gods, idols dedicated to her can be found throughout the two worlds, and there is at least one temple devoted to her in just about every major city. Fittingly, her portfolio is broad, and she is favored by farmers, craftsmen, midwives, and healers - just about anyone who creates things or preserves life. It is said that she created all living things in the worlds, and treats them as a mother does her children - with nurturing respect, and with discipline for those who misuse the gift of life. She is one of the patrons of the legendary Ortegid Dynasty, who carry a sacred crest gifted to Erdrick the Aliahanian by Rubiss herself as a family heirloom.

• Rubiss appears as a beautiful woman with red hair - people with red hair are regarded as having the blessings of Rubiss. Her symbol is a set of three rubies laid in an upside-down triangle, typically worked into an amulet.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Domains: Life, Peace, Protection
• Oaths: Devotion, Redemption

Estark, the Eternal Swordsman, is the god of war and battle. According to legend, he dwells atop a mountain (where exactly this mountain is varies from region to region) on a throne of iron awaiting a worthy challenger, and the souls of all warriors who die in battle must face him in a duel. Though no mortal can beat him, if he is impressed with their strength, he will let them into Valhalla; if he is not, he throws them down the mountain, where they must fight their way back up against all other hopefuls to earn another chance against him. Estark is not usually called upon in battle, as it is considered a sign of weakness to rely on him; nonetheless, he does bless weapons and sword-arms, and his clerics often study martial magic.

• Estark takes the form of a giant clad in armor, wielding a weapon in each hand and bearing two horns on his head, along with a third eye that beholds all battles in the world. His symbol is a set of brazen horns hung from a pendant, either worn or dangling from the hilt of a weapon.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Domains: Strength, War
• Oaths: Conquest, Glory, Vengeance

Melisine, the Queen of the Night, is the goddess of night, the moon, the dead, and the underworld. She rules over all the sun does not touch, including both the night (and nocturnal creatures) and the underground (and any creatures that dwell there). She also rules over the souls of all those who do not die in battle. Note that while she is the goddess of the dead, she is not the goddess of death; she only has sway over those who have died, not the means of their death. Though her portfolio is a macabre one, and she is often worshiped by subterranean clans of beastmen, she is not regarded as one of the Forbidden Gods, and offerings made to the ancestors pass through her. She is also a patron of dwarves, hobbits, and gemcutters, as gems come from the earth.

• Melisine is depicted as a pallid woman in dark robes and the veil of a mourner. Her symbol is a skull with gems set in the eye sockets.
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Domains: Grave, Twilight
• Oaths: Ancients, Watchers

Art by Juan del Pino

Boros, the Tidefather, is the god of the sky, the sea, and the storms. He dwells beneath the waves, and the merfolk are of his blood, but he is also a god of thunder and lightning, calling down storms and winds for his amusement. As he is of a tempestuous and unpredictable nature, his clerics are sought out by merchants and sailors to protect their vessels, and he has a large temple in Ashalam, as well as in the Torlandic port city-state of Lianport. It is held that anything that falls into the sea belongs to him, and retrieving treasure from shipwrecks may garner his wrath. For that matter, there are many unique beasts of the sea and air that are Boros's favored children, such as the Condors of Hades, which are capable of summoning a great gust of wind from the beating of their wings that can divert the course of ships. Those these beasts are great and deadly, he will not take kindly to any of them being harmed.

• Boros appears as a weather-beaten man with a long beard, often with either the tail of the fish or the lower legs of a bird. He always has bird-like feathers along his arms, or wings on his back. His symbol is a set of wings.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Domains: Nature, Tempest
• Oaths: Ancients, Open Sea

Friday Encounter: The Sky Opens

I've long maintained that most campaigns overlook the value of mundane travel complications for random encounters. Not every danger the PCs face has to come from magic and monsters - throwing in things like natural hazards and road conditions can help the world seem more realistic, and keeps the fantastical rare, mysterious, and, well, fantastical. A big example of this: weather. I don't think I've ever seen a campaign that even acknowledged the weather; it seems that in most gaming sessions it just exists in a quantum state of unremarkably clear skies that have no positive or negative impacts on the party. I'm not saying you need to meticulously track weather patterns for your setting (unless that's your thing), but I do think that having weather events happen as a random encounter every once in a while can do a lot to spice up travel. Here's an example.

This encounter can be used in any outdoor environment, but to get the most use out of it, it's best used while the PCs are traveling, either on a road or through the wilderness. This means they can't simply go underneath the roof of a nearby building to take shelter.

While the PCs are traveling, the sky suddenly turns overcast. A moment later, with a peal of thunder, the clouds open into a torrential rainstorm, with water coming down hard all around them. The storm lasts for 1d4 hours. Until then, the party will have to figure out some way to deal with it.

The obvious answer is to go off the path and try to find shelter, such as in a cave or beneath a large tree, and wait it out. Perhaps this would be as simple as moving to a nearby location you already have on the map, or perhaps you could have a Survival check to find a suitable shelter. This side trek could lead to other encounters or discoveries - perhaps, in looking for shelter, the PCs come across something else. If the party is in a hurry, or if someone is under the effects of a spell with a limited duration, the delay could cause them to lose valuable time.

If the PCs decide to press on despite the effects of the storm, they take one level of Exhaustion for every hour they travel. Additionally, if they traveled through the rain, they must make a Constitution saving throw or come down with a cold, which will take them out of action until they sleep it off. They gain the Incapacitated condition until the next long rest, or if some magical means to cure disease are employed. The DC for this save starts at 5 and increases by 5 for every hour the PCs travel through the rain.

Don't forget other effects rain could have on the PCs or other creatures. If they're carrying torches, they may run the risk of going out. Scrolls, books, and other objects that could be damaged by water might become unusable if not properly stored. An invisible creature could be detected in a rainstorm by how its body displaces water. Like I said, there's a lot that can be done with weather, so don't forget about it in your toolbox.

Friday Encounter: The Curse of Feebleness

This encounter could be used in a variety of situations, including in a town, on the road, in the wilderness, or in a dungeon. The idea is to use it wherever the PCs could be impacted by a curse. The simplest way to do this would be for the party to accidentally bump into a witch (perhaps knocking into her from a carriage while on the road and injuring her, or bumping into her on the street in town and causing her to spill what she's carrying) who, feeling vindictive, decides to place a curse on them. But it could just as easily be the result of a cursed treasure in a dungeon, or inflicted upon the party by a recurring villain. Feel free to use it wherever and however you think it would be enjoyable.

Some way or another, the PCs are all stricken with a curse that penalizes them in a fashion that is detrimental to their class and general play style, making it hard for them to fit their typical role in the party. For example:

• Martial classes have Disadvantage on all Strength checks, to-hit rolls, and damage rolls, and their carrying capacity is halved.
• Magic-users have Disadvantage on Knowledge checks, any checks to successfully cast spells, and saves against magical effects.
• Rogues have Disadvantage on all Dexterity checks, and their footsteps become loud and conspicuous, making it harder for them to sneak around silently.
• Bards become tone-deaf and have Disadvantage on Performance checks. They also lose proficiency in any musical instruments until the effects of the curse wear off.

You get the idea. Feel free to tailor these to your party - if any of the PCs wouldn't be affected much by these penalties (for instance, if you have a Finesse fighter), come up with an alternative effect that would negatively affect them.

The idea is to make it harder to play the PCs the way the players normally would, forcing them to act outside of their comfort zone. This could present a fun opportunity to challenge players to think outside the box if their typical strategies wouldn't work, or to give them a chance to experiment with play styles they aren't used to. If you have a player who always plays one class, this might be a way to force them to branch out.

For maximum fun, don't have the curse take effect right away. Instead, the effects should start to become apparent 1d4 days after the inciting incident. Don't tell the players that the curse takes effect, either - just start asking them to reroll their rolls and take the lower result, without elaborating. Eventually, they'll figure out something's wrong, and this could kick off an investigation of what might have placed the curse on them. If you have the curse placed on them by an NPC, it's probably best if it's obvious that some sort of spell was cast even if it doesn't take effect immediately. The players will be a lot more likely to draw a connection between the little old lady they knocked over and the fact they can't hit the broad side of a barn if that old lady started waving her hands at them and speaking in tongues before they saw a bright flash. Otherwise, they might end up on a wild goose chase that leads nowhere.

Because I've left things open-ended as to what triggers the curse, I'll also leave it open-ended as to what breaks it. If the PCs attracted the ire of a magician, for example, they may need to find them and right their wrongdoing. Or potentially kill the mage that cursed them, but that might not be possible if they're in polite society. If they picked up a cursed artifact, it may simply be a matter of disposing of it - but cursed artifacts have a habit of turning up again, unless the curse is passed on to someone else. One fun option would be to have the curse be broken for a given PC when that character performs a great deed or overcomes a great challenge without having to fall back on their area of expertise, proving that they can thrive on their own merits even if their greatest assets are taken away from them.

Friday Encounter: The Island Fish

Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

Here's an encounter to bring one of my favorite tropes in folklore and mythology to the table. It should be used while the PCs are traveling by boat, preferably on a voyage through a relatively uncharted body of water.

While traveling the open sea, the PCs come across a small island that is not marked on any of their maps. The ship's crew has grown tired over the long journey, and they petition the captain to stop and rest here, perhaps foraging for food to replenish their meager rations. If the ship's captain is an NPC, they agree to moor the ship here; if they are a PC, that decision is up to the player(s).

If the ship docks, the crew wishes to spend the night on the island, and they suggest the PCs explore before sun sets. PCs exploring the island will find that it is mostly flat and rocky, covered in sparse shrubs and grass, with a few short trees here and there. There are no land animals native to the island, but a few seagulls can be found, and there are some crabs on the shore. The island is 160 feet long and 100 feet wide, with a circle of rocks and trees at the center of the island forming a natural campsite, 80 feet from the ship. Keep track of how far the party ventures into the island - it will become important later.

At nightfall, the ship's crew will make camp at whatever suitable spot the party found, and make a fire from some driftwood and fallen branches to cook some birds and fish they were able to catch. However, this is where the island reveals its secret. The "island" is in fact a gigantic fish that has laid dormant here for years, and over the ages, enough soil has built up on its back to form solid ground. However, when a fire is lit, the fish will wake up, and seek to retreat into the water - with everyone still on it! The fish will also wake up if a fire is lit on the island before the crew does, or if the PCs make any extremely loud noises (such as that of an explosion).

Once the fish wakes up, enter Action Time. The fish takes a turn at the beginning of initiative order every round. On its turn, the fish always sinks two feet into the water. The PCs must use this time to run back to the ship before they sink with the fish! If they make a move or dash action, they must make an Acrobatics or Athletics check (whichever best fits the action); on a failed check, they can only move at half speed that turn due to the rising water. The DC for this check starts at 5, and increases by 5 for every two feet the fish sinks after the first. If any PC is below the water (this would typically be when the fish has sunken six feet for a medium-sized creature, or three feet for a small one), they must swim to their destination, and they must hold their breath unless they have some means of breathing underwater.

You don't need to roll for the crew during this part - you can just assume that enough redshirts drowned to make things suitably dramatic, but enough survived that the ship is still in working order. However, if there are any named NPCs on the ship, you may wish to have them act during the initiative order like the PCs, following the same rules.

If you so desire, you can add other obstacles to overcome during the run to the ship if you want make the encounter more challenging. Do not forget that, although most parties will likely run for the ship, other courses of action are possible and should be allowed according to the DM's judgment. If anyone in the party is able to communicate with the fish, for instance, they may be able to convince it to take them to their destination - though the fish will likely demand something in return.

Friday Encounter: Deals at the Crossroads

For optimal folkloric resonance, the best place to use this encounter is at a crossroads, preferably at night. As everyone knows, the crossroads is a place where the boundaries between worlds are weak, and it's easier to contact the other side - or, for that matter, for the other side to contact you. However, it would also work in the wilderness, in a dungeon, or perhaps even in a town, after everyone else is asleep.

Background

In the Lunar Lands, there are numerous places where the fabric of reality thins, and it is easier for things from other worlds to slip through. Crossroads are particularly susceptible to this, as an already liminal space where multiple routes intersect. Alimuth, a demon, has taken advantage of this. Like all demons, he delights in using his magic to bring mortals to ruin and spread discord, and he has come into the possession of multiple mortal souls through offering fabulous powers in exchange for immortal servitude. Now, the PCs might well become his latest clients...

The Encounter

Alimuth will appear to the PCs at the crossroads when no one else is around. He takes the disguise of a wealthy merchant, wearing fine clothes embroidered with fur and brocades, but all in shades of red. Like all demons, Alimuth is physically incapable of invoking the names of any gods, and instead refers to them by epithets and titles whenever possible. Additionally, a DC 20 Perception check reveals that he has slit pupils like those of a cat.

The "merchant" is found sitting on a cart hitched to a donkey on the side of the road. The cart has lost a wheel and sunken into a ditch - Alimuth is particularly interested in corrupting good-hearted and generous souls, and wants to pose as someone in need of help as a way to lure the PCs closer. He calls to the PCs for aid as they pass.

It's a simple enough task to find the missing wheel and fix the cart - no rolling is necessary. Alimuth just wants to get the PCs close enough to make his pitch. He graciously thanks the PCs and commends them on their kindness - then offers to repay them in a way only he can.

At this point, Alimuth promises to impart each of the PCs with a special "blessing." He will teach any of the PCs one spell from the warlock spell list, regardless of whether or not they have any levels in warlock. This spell should be one suited to the character's class, playstyle, and strategies, and should be one spell level higher than the highest level of spell slot a warlock of the same level as the PC would have access to - this is a more powerful spell than what would otherwise be possible of the PC. If the PC is a spellcasting class, the spell is cast as they would normally cast any other spell and takes up one spell slot of their highest available level. If they are not a spellcasting class, they can cast it as a warlock would (ie. their spell save DC is 8 + proficiency bonus + CHA, and their spell attack modifier is proficiency bonus + CHA), once per long rest.

However, this comes at a cost. To teach the PC the spell, Alimuth will need ownership over their soul as payment. If the PC dies, their soul is immediately damned to Hell; they automatically fail all death saves, and they cannot be resurrected or communed with unless their soul is retrieved from Hell directly or Alimuth otherwise relinquishes control over their soul. Furthermore, they are to forfeit their life after a year and a day (you are keeping track of time, right?). If they are still alive at this time, Alimuth will send a pack of three hellhounds after the party to attack them. The hounds appear at nightfall every day until the affected PC dies, heralding their arrival with the sound of a loud howl, and will track them relentlessly. If the hounds are killed, they simply respawn the next night. If the affected PC dies, the hounds immediately vanish and do not attack the rest of the party. The hounds cannot enter holy ground, such as a temple or the burial ground of a saint.

Although a demon, Alimuth is a man of his word and does not attempt to mislead or trick the people he deals with. He presents the PCs with a contract in which all the relevant information is laid out (albeit in circuitous language that is difficult to understand), and will not teach them the spell until the PCs sign the contract in their blood (he provides a quill with a pointy tip, if necessary). However, he will try his best to persuade them, describing how it's in their best interests to branch out with magic, and they surely won't be in any danger any time soon with such fabulous magic on their side.

If the PCs turn him down, Alimuth will disappear, but emphasizes that the PCs are welcome to change their mind at any time. He will also disappear if attacked. If they return to the crossroads with the express intent of visiting Alimuth, he will be right where they left him. He will not appear if they are just passing through.

Optionally, you might rule that a cleric or paladin who sells their soul to Alimuth will no longer be able to use class features that rely on divine favor, since their soul is no longer pledged to their patron god. However, this runs the risk of mechanically crippling a character and may necessitate multiclassing for them to remain viable, so it's best to talk this over with your players to make sure they're prepared for such measures. If you don't see a year and a day passing over the course of the campaign, another optional measure to speed things up would be to have Alimuth's contract specify it expires in a year and a day in Hell, and he comes from a domain of Hell where time passes faster than it does in the mortal realm - so he may come to collect the bargain sooner than expected!

Furthermore, even if Alimuth does collect a PC's soul, that might not be the end. A resourceful party might find a way to track the demon down and convince him to give up their ally's soul - or even free their companion from Hell itself.