RKA: Encounters
Table of Contents
- NPC Companions
- Encounters between Shelter Lake and Dondarian
- Encounters between Dondarian and Lolien
- Encounters between Lolien and Tintown
- Encounters between Tintown and the Red Keep
NPC Companions
During their journey the party may be accompanied and fight alongside Lawmaster Andias Teft and Lobs. Their stat blocks are listed here:
Encounters between Shelter Lake and Dondarian
On the road from Shelter Lake to Dondarian, the party might encounter 2x mudrakes lying in ambush by some burnt and broken down wagons. They are burrowing creatures that feed on scavengers. Shortly after the dragon attacked Shelter Lake, it flew down the road and torched a caravan of merchants without stopping, killing the people inside. Now the mudrakes have piled the bodies in hope of finding easy prey.
The smell of cooked flesh hits your noise as you come upon a shattered and charred caravan. There is a pile of bodies mounded up just to the front. They barely resemble people anymore and there is no way to tell how many there are. Three wagon husks stand, still smoking on a long stretch of burnt ground.If the players stop to investigate they will have the chance to notice burrow mounds located beneath the wagons with a DC 18 passive Perception. The mudrakes likes to kill with their necrotic bite preferring to strike and burrow, and strike a different target. They are patient killers and will take their time with prey. If the players get too close to the bodies or the wagons the mudrakes will attempt an ambush from the ground. Loot and Rewards: The caravan's goods have mostly been destroyed. With persistent searching the players may find a small lockbox containing 111 gp, 49 sp, and 2x Potion of Healing.
Description
Mudrake, often called Mud Monsters, are four foot long lizards and the apex predator of wherever they live. They feed on scavengers, sometimes leaving dead prey as bait to draw it in. Feared by any who come across them, their toxic bite causes near immediate necrosis. "Sure, go play with the Mudrake and die." - Ziggo Zygote, Cleric of Matunas
Other Possible Encounters
The party might encounter a number any number of foes or NPCs along the way, as appropriate for your campaign. If you wish to add additional encounters in this section here are a few encounters that may be found in the area.
- A bunch of aurochs from down south at the Auroch's Acreage have broken free and are being chased by their goblin ranchers. The goblins would welcome help regaining control of the herd.
- Awakened by the dragon's breath a fire elemental has begun to rampage in the nearby Emerald Wood.
Encounters between Dondarian and Lolien
Smolderthorn Flyby
It's possible that Smolderthorn may fly near the group on their way to Lolien, especially if they travel by caravan. If this occurs the dragons Frightful Presence will cause havoc on mounts and riders. Horses will flee, scattering in many directions. If the group pursue the mounts into the woods, this could be a good opportunity to introduce the witchling encounter.Witchling Encounter
A unicorn lair is nearby and the unicorn is reaching out to travelers in its slumber. Open flames become extinguished and paths through the forest will open up for folks taking the road between Dondarian and Lolien. Should curious people follow the trails they will come upon a shrouded grove that leads into ancient ruins. The entire place is draped in an unnatural silence. Witchlings, sinister creatures left behind from the Witch Wars, have currently taken over the lair and are keeping the unicorn in a deep slumber while they slowly feed on it. Getting to the lair reveals a catacomb beneath filled with these dark Otherwyld creatures. The unicorn is reaching out in its sleep for any assistance as its time is fleeting. In total there are 6x Witchlings and 2x Witchling Prodigy skulking about the ruins, one of the Witchling Prodigies has a magic item known as a Shadow Globe.
When the party comes near the ruins read the following:
Roots and rocks run through a small stream, slick with a green temper. The smell of decay seeps through an opening in the rock ahead. The structure looks as if was once carved out of a small cliff-face. Now it is nothing more than blunted rock, filled with an inky darkness.The dungeon is a place of dirt and roots. Much of the area is difficult terrain and extremely hard to navigate due to any non-magical light being extinguished immediately because of the unicorn's lair effect. If the Witchlings are pressed, they will use a Shadow Globe and attack in the darkness. They are unwilling to give up their food source and will fight until death. If the Witchling Prodigy is in his death throes, it will scream "We have seen you now! Others will be coming!" before it explodes in a noxious cloud. This is an idle threat, or it could be a useful plot hook for after the campaign. If the Witchlings are defeated, the unicorn will immediately awaken and teleport away. It will leave behind some of its hair as well as the Shadow Globe. Loot and Rewards: Unicorn Hair and the Shadow Globe.
Description
Witchlings are dark skinned, masked Otherwyld creatures created by Mother Malign. They are covered in tribal tattoos and every creature's mask is of a different design. They operate as twisted assassins and are commonly sent on suicidal missions in an effort to ensure the elimination of a specific target.
Since Mother Malign's defeat, many of the creatures have stayed behind causing mayhem and chaos whenever possible. Their poisonous payload causes them extreme discomfort, leading many witchings to seek an opportunity to escape their painful existence. They are rarely concerned with their own wellbeing if it means drawing their target in for the kill. Those who have encountered them claim they are known for insulting and antagonizing opponents.
Description
A witchling prodigy is an elite Otherwyld force brought to Dromaria by Mother Malign. Created as a normal witchling, prodigies are vessels capable of living longer and holding in far more poison. Like their lesser counterparts, witchling prodigies seek to release their burden in a devastating embrace.
Other Possible Encounters
The party might encounter a number any number of foes or NPCs along the way, as appropriate for your campaign. If you wish to add additional encounters in this section here are a few encounters that may be found in the area.
- An Oni is traveling the road seeking a nighttime bounty. He has been traveling in disguise as a woodcutter, gaining people's trust and then running off with the weakest member when everyone goes to sleep.
- Two fishermen have captured a kobold and are debating what to do with it. The kobold only speaks draconic.
Encounters between Lolien and Tintown
Smolderthorn Feeding
As the players travel past the Slatetop Mountains on the way to Tintown they may spot Smolderthorn feeding atop the mountain peaks, shale and slate tumbling down the mountainside. The stone build up in the road may block the groups progress and if they bring attention to themselves trying to clear it while Smolderthorn is still feeding, he will descend on the group with a gout of flame.Wyvern Riding Troll
On the journey between Lolien and Tintown the group will be attacked by a wyvern riding troll. The encounter will take place along the road, at the highest point of their travel near the Slatetop Mountains. The area will be treacherous with little cover.
The group will see it coming so read the following:
A trilling howl pierces the sky as a shadow dots the sun in the distance. As it screams toward you at a blistering speed, you see it is a green skinned giant flying on a beast with leathery wings and a stinger for a tail, both mount and master with eyes fixed firmly on the group.The troll and his wyvern are out collecting food for the troll's mate. It is focused on collecting people and taking them to his home in the mountains to be devoured later. Both creatures will keep a distance, striking with flyby attacks. The troll has acquired an enchanted saddle which makes it especially difficult to dismount. The troll will spend his attacks trying to net players unless dismounted, then he will fight to its fullest capabilities, as will the wyvern. If the troll successfully manages to bring a character back to their lair they will be gagged and tied up while the troll returns in an attempt to grab another character. If the party tracks the trolls to their lair the two trolls live there with their trained wyvern. Loot and Rewards: Saddle of the Cavalier. If anyone in the party is proficient in handling poisons wyvern blood makes an expensive and potent poison called Wyvern Poison.
Other Possible Encounters
The party might encounter a number any number of foes or NPCs along the way, as appropriate for your campaign. If you wish to add additional encounters in this section here are a few encounters that may be found in the area.
- A trained hippogriff is injured and in a precarious spot on the mountain. With proper insight and animal handling it may even be saved.
- In the most dangerous and narrow parts of the mountain road 2x air elementals have spawned from Pathway collectors. The collectors bodies are nowhere to be found, but the broken Pathways are still there.
Encounters between Tintown and the Red Keep
As the group approaches The Cruel Wood the wagon with the Dragon Nets in them breaks an axle and gets stuck in a boggy mess. The following encounter takes place in difficult terrain, as the bog is currently flooded. The encounter features Sir Barry and 2x mastiff for each member in the party. At the start of Sir Barry's turn, if a hound has died, roll a 1d6, add that many additional hounds to the fray.
Read this aloud as players are investigating their broken wagon:
The air is shattered with a terrible braying cry followed by the howls and barks of ferocious hounds that seemingly come from everywhere. Dressed in heavy armor scavenged from its many battles, a brown furred creature looms in the distance. It howls once more, piercing the air as it launches an arrow from a meticulously carved and elegant bow. There is a pack of wild dogs following in its wake as even more hounds bound through the bog, surrounding your broken wagon.
The gnoll wearing armor has a pack of wild dogs that follow its commands. Recently they killed a knight of Ania and scavenged his belongings. Among those items was a Scroll of Pedigree for a noble named Sir Barry Carver. Ever since the gnoll has begun calling itself "Sir Barry." Sir Barry likes to stay at a distance and let his hounds do the up close and dirty work. Barry has many hounds at his disposal so new ones will always take the place of dogs killed in combat. The gnoll and his hounds are not affected by the difficult terrain of the bog. If endangered, Barry will grab what he can and run, using his beasts to slow pursuers. If Barry dies any remaining dogs will run away. Loot and Rewards: Plate Armor, Longbow +1, 138 gp, 23 sp, 6 cp, and a Scroll of Pedigree for Sir Barry Carver.
Other Possible Encounters
The party might encounter a number any number of foes or NPCs along the way, as appropriate for your campaign. If you wish to add additional encounters in this section here are a few encounters that may be found in the area.
- If their ire is drawn, centaur druids that inhabit the Cruel Wood may follow the group through the forest making life miserable with plant growth, spike growth, and grasping vines. The druids will not engage directly.
- Besides Barry, a large population of gnolls have taken up in the Cruel Wood. They have set up hunting traps and the snare spell all over to capture unwitting prey.
- Fire elementals have been rising out of crevasses in the ground due to the proximity of the dragon's lair.