Travel Random Tables in Sword Coast (Storm King’s Thunder) | World Anvil
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Travel Random Tables

Tension pool: 6d6 , if any 1s, complication happens (66% probability)   Complication table: d100

Travel Complication Type table

Roll the Dice
1-15Natural Landmarks
15-40Art along the Road
40-50Roleplaying Questions
50-80Travel Complications
80-100Combat
 

Natural Landmarks

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Natural Landmarks

Roll the Dice
1A large oak tree that is swarming with beautiful blue butterflies in the morning, and blue fireflies at night.
2A cave hidden deep in the forest, with walls and floors that seem to shine with a fortunes worth of priceless gems that sparkle without any light. These “priceless gems” immediately turn to useless stones once removed from the cave.
3A large Cave system found in the middle of a jungle. The only known opening to the cave was found by a group of locals who were hunting in the jungle that day. The cave entrance spans an opening of roughly 100ft, and if seen from the sky looks like a large impact crater. The depth of the cave is unknown, and no one knows if it is inhabited by monsters.
4A large tree that has a village of sprites living in it. The tree moves to one of three positions in the forest every week.
5A tiny island in the center of a lake. There is a single bullywug sitting on the island eating fish on an improvised raft.
6A magical floating bush. It hovers around in circles.
7A hollow tree stump with a friendly faerie dragon.
8Erosion has carved what appears to be a face into the side of a cliff.
9A giant skeleton sticking out of the ground. Looks like a triceratops, but larger.
10A giant flower with lots of bees surrounding it. Thousands of flowers similar to the giant one grow around it at a wide range of heights. Different kinds of fey live around it too.
11An overgrown, moss-covered, patinaed statue that looks just like elderly versions of the party.
12A pond of sulphide water, with a geyser regularly rising at its centre.
13A cliff face with geometric crystal structures jutting out of the side.
14A cave entrance with several sharp rocks resembling the maw and teeth of a large beast.
15A tremendous pillar of rock in the exact center of a dried lakebed.
16A small pond in the center of a clearing. The pond is faintly luminescent and flowers grow around its edge.
17A large smooth stone with runes in an ancient language adorning its surface.
18A beached shipwreck that has been looted and broken on the shore. Overgrown with algae, seaweed, and barnacles.
19A cliff with sharp rocks below known to locals as the maw of the sea.
20A large tree that is over 30 feet in diameter. This hulking monstrosity of nature has been cared for by locals and some revere it as a god.
21A frozen lake with a polished ice surface. If you look closely enough, you can see dead floating beneath the surface.
22A rock formation that looks eerily like a grinning goblin if viewed from the proper angle.
23A mountain range that when viewed from above looks like a gigantic quadruped monster.
24The ribcage of a giant whale that fell out of the sky a long time ago, surrounded by a field of petunias. Local legends differ in how it got there, but the most accepted answer is that it was an unexpected side effect of a wizards reckless attempt to mess with the nature of probability.
25A rocky, windy precipice rises above the surroundings, with vultures perched on every available foothold. Locals say the place is terribly cursed, but in reality the vultures only congregate there because the wind allows them to smell corpses from a great distance.
26Stone God’s Thumb: Large fist of a mountain with a peak resembling a thumb. A plot of onions and a natural spring are located at the top.
27The Carved Oni Heads: Early Dwarven cultures carved these stone markers to ward off demons. They break the tree line and denote a path between two prehistoric dwarf cities each stone just within sight of the other.
28The Firefall: A rare geological phenomenon causes a plume of fire to escape a lone lava tube and cascade down instead of up. There might be something special hidden behind it…but mostly the charred remains of people who thought there was something behind it.
29A rotting, moss covered bookshelf in a forest clearing. Its decrepit shelves are filled with molding tomes in various states of decay. What is still legible in the books is a variety of languages and dialects, some unknown.
30A massive mushroom with a wide, flat top. Only the top is visible, and the rest is below ground. It will slowly rise from the the ground when it thinks no one is watching. If something looks at it while it is extended, it will quickly slam back into the ground.
31An old and gnarled tree has grown over and half-swallowed what appears to be the remains of a cart – the wood has rotted away, but the metal axel is still visible.
32A tree has fallen over a creek, its trunk forming a narrow bridge. It would be easy for a small-sized creature to walk across, but medium-sized creatures might have difficulty.
33A cluster of bright pink and yellow mushrooms have grown over and completely blanketed a rotted tree trunk.
34A series of miniature arches that is nearly always in the shadow of a larger arch.
35An extremely deep and narrow slot canyon. It’s easy to jump over, but if you fell in it would mean certain death.
36An enormous boulder balanced precariously on a thin, natural pillar.
37A wide, flat field completely covered in small holes… Something is living underground here.
38Enormous bones are scattered densely in this area. It’s a graveyard where large beasts come to die.
39A set of standing stones with intricate carvings cut into them. When the wind blows a certain way, the stones make a low humming sound that can be heard from miles away. The sound fills anyone that can here it with dread and despair.
40A small dark cave with with an extremely narrow crack in the floor, with steam billowing out. Due to the nature of the steam and the shape of the cave, it creates a low whistling sound at all times of the day.
41A magical Island that is invisible to those who don’t or can’t use magic; because of this may ship captains have crushed on its beach with no survivors due to the island’s security system. From the outside the island appears to a cluster of destroyed ships that have created a ring around the island, but when most captains see this mysterious landmark they write it off as ships running aground on a reef.
42The ruins of a Tower once connected to a series of watch stations that surround this area or did in the ancient world. There are several of these towers, each with their own secrets.
43An area of land in a forest where no plants can grow.
44A Forest with many small trees with 1 very large tree in the center of the same species.
45A pond of water that rotates one direction in the morning and the other direction in the evening.
46Cliff Face that appears to have a large portion removed by a giant bite.
47A tall rock formation with two boulders at the bottom… Totally not phallic… (It is).
48A small statue of a hooded sitting hunched figure that always points slightly northwest.
49A large stone monolith towering upon a hillside. Along the back, a single rune written in charcoal and in the language of giants, the symbol for “help”.
50A dried up river or stream, with the remains of a long forgotten exodus. Bones stick up through the mud at strange angles.
51A small chasm cutting across an otherwise open field.
52Two tall pines holding up the skeletal remains of a behemoth.
53A massive multi-faceted field of quartz.
54The Award-Winning Fjords of Slartibartfast: They’re fjords, they’re incredibly beautiful, and they’ve won awards for being incredibly beautiful. Can be used for hidden bases, surprise attacks from the cliffs above to the passages of water below, a suddenly dangerous yet exciting end of a chase off the edge of one of the cliffs, or just a pleasant boat ride.
55A roughly circular depression overgrown with strangely warped vegetation. The very middle is raised and bare rock looking almost like cracked dark glass.
56Two trees, an ash and an elm which have grown up so close that they spiral around each other as they grew trunks and branches pressed together and entwined.
57The Stone Queen’s Bed: A stone giant made the mistake of picking a fight with a pack of druids. Rooted and slammed into the earth they planted Somnus trees all around the raised crater. The constant stream of pollen keeps her in a perpetual dream state.
58The Volcano Coral Tubes: A sulphuric smoke constantly rises from these inhospitable series of rock tubes. Large filter feeding red fronds rake the air in an effort to capture nutrients from the plumes of smoke. Glows red and attracts lightning strikes.
59Morla’s Daughter: In the middle of a swamp is a lone mountain with a small town at the top. There is something weird about the tortle settlement that leads visitors to think they are hiding something…even the mountain is shaped like a turtle shell.
60A sudden 12ft escarpment running roughly north-south for as far as the eye can see. Almost as if the all the land to the east as far as the sea had suddenly dropped 4 yards overnight.
61A region of open sand dunes a half days hike across and several days hike long that has swallowed a northern rainforest. Only the tops of verdant hills peek through like tree islands in an ocean of sand.
62A weathered treestump about the height of a man. Dozens of age-tarnished coins have been hammered into one side of the stump.
63A large black obelisk stationed in the middle of a small island that is within what is now a lake. A river eroded the area and over the course of time the river carved out a small lake around the obelisk.
64A small cave at the start of river or brook. Inside the cave is small oasis, a waterfall, pool of crisp clear water, and flowering vines crawling up the walls leading to a an opening that lets in sunlight.
65An old tree with a fox shaped canopy when viewed from the South East.
66A small clearing between some rocks, with three sitting petrified trolls, with horrified looks in their faces.
67Two extremely close peaks with a river flowing between them. Looks like a mountain that was cut in half by the water.
68A big colorful crystal coming out of the ground, that separates the light that comes through it, creating miniature rainbows.
69A tiny volcano, that spews small embers, burning the vegetation directly next to it.
70Huge bones are in the area, sticking out from ground. An elephant could fit in the middle of them. They belonged to the abdomen of a really large creature.
71A giant’s skeleton on the side of a cliff. A large sword still stuck through it’s chest.
72A flooded pit quarry; standing neck-deep in the murky green water is the 75′ statue of a human king, his features fixed in a contemptuous snarl. Birds nest in his nostrils.
73Tar Pits rumored to have claimed the lives of various monstrosities.
74A winding path of high ground through a swamp, called the Witches Walk
75A tall rock surrounded by 20 evenly spaced smaller rocks. The smaller rocks have ancient number tunes on them, this structure is clearly some ancient sundial.
76A statue of a panicked witch in between a fork in the road.
77A pine tree that curves wildly. They say if you listen closely for a while you can hear the wails of the ghost trapped inside.
78A pit that is at least 50 feet deep. The bottom is always obscured in the darkest shadow.
79Native hobgoblin burial ground that brings pets back to life with the fiend subtype added. Anything you bury will come back and try to kill you. (A groundskeeper named Sking optional.)
80Three treefolk have pinned down a stone golem. Roots have all but immobilized the once rampaging construct. It’s been 100 years since the battle and the treefolk are still sleepy from all the action.
81A soda geyser field that shoots out carbonated water out of the ground. Could be very profitable with anyone thinking of selling goodberry/fruit tonics the next town over.
82A group of islands with a mountain range in them. From the distance the peaks resemble a dragon’s claw emerging from the sea.
83What appears to be a puddle is actually a 30 foot deep pool of water with a 10 foot radius. Upon diving under, it appears to be full of tropical ocean life, and those submerged can hear what sounds like waves crashing on the surface.
84An invisible mountain. The only way this mountain is visible is by a seemingly floating waterfall beginning at 50 feet in the sky. (it is coming from a cave in the mountain.)
85A twenty foot high mushroom, enclosed in a circle of smaller mushrooms of varying heights(up to 5 feet). A history check reveals this location to have been home to a giant toad who would rest on the largest mushroom. Occasionally a ghostly ribbit pierces the air.
86A snow-covered field that looks flat, but the powdery snow covers up areas that are much deeper than expected. Heavy creatures could fall chest-deep (or worse) at any time.
87A small tropical oasis that exists year-round in the middle of a frozen tundra.
88Something about the weather of this place makes it rain perpetually.
89A volcano that is constantly spewing forth smoke. It’s never erupted, however.
90A swamp that experiences daily earth-tremors. When these happen, the water drains briefly and then refills over the next day.
91A clear, cold mountain spring that releases the same liquid as a healing potion. When the liquid has been out of the spring for more than an hour, it becomes normal water.
92The Drow Stone – Jutting at an odd angle off the side of the path is a towering pillar of stone which is made of a dark glass like material. Stories abound of how it marks the entrance to the Underdark, however, it’s simply Volcanic glass from an ancient volcano.
93The Salt Chasm – Rock shafts, split into hexagonal patterns, known as Columnar Basalt pervade this small valley. Their presence precludes the growth of any significant plant life.
94The Cascading Quagmire – a series of shallow broad drops in a slow moving swamp river. The combination of floating peat moss and thick algal blooms makes what would be waterfalls instead a viscous slime dribble.
95“Howlker’s Rise” A naturally formed column of earth and stone that is only around 75 feet in diameter with a roughly circular shape, but goes up almost 300 feet straight up. It is covered in moss, plants and even a few sideway-growing trees, it is said to have a lake on top and has a plunging waterfall that goes from the top all the way down to the pond at is souther footside. The climb is brutal. A Dwarven man named Howlker Dirtnose is said to have lived a top it for a time, after finding some very tricky caverns leading upwards along the inside of it, but no one ever manages to even find an entrance.
96The Lonely Sentinel: A massive oak tree stands alone in a vast field, not far from a cliffside overlooking the sea. It bears the scars of numerous lightning strikes and more than one attempt to chop it down, but it is still healthy and strong.
97A natural bridge of dirt that goes over a wide area of reed thicket marshes. The wind slowly sways the cat tails and tall grasses as squishing sounds and croaks can be heard from either side of the bridge.
98A very large tree covered in clear stones. If a creature of good approaches the tree, the stones and the leaves will grow green and blue, and flowers bloom on the tree. Neutral creatures makes them turn brown and orange. An evil creature makes them turn dark purple and red. Unaligned creatures make them turn different shades of gray.
99A bush that seems unaffected by the wind. If a lawful creature approaches the bush, the feeding of a calm wind will pass both the bush and the creature. A neutral creature will cause a moderately strong wind to affect the two. A chaotic creature causes hurricane level winds to hit both of them.
100A cave full of phosphorescent mushrooms that glow at night.

Art along the Road

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Art along the Road

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1A tree stump covered in bent pennies. It looks like passers by have jammed the edges of pennies and other small coins into the cracks and bark of this large stump and bent them down to create an almost scale-effect on the bark. Over the years after the bark space ran out pennies were jammed between other pennies, and so on, growing the stump over time.
2The path here has been replaced with smooth stone squares alternating with squares of bare earth, grass and wildflowers in a checkerboard pattern. The whole pattern is irregular at the edges, longer but thinner than a true checkerboard.
3A vast collection of lamps and lanterns have been hung around the path, some along the sides in tree branches or hung from iron rods, some hanging down from above, some placed directly on the ground. No two lamps are the same, some are iron, some wood, some paper, some ornate, some elaborate, some elven, some dwarven. At night they all illuminate on their own, flicking on over the course of the sunset, in no discernible pattern.
4Several trees have been cut down along this trail, and their left behind stumps have been hollowed out and planted with local wildflowers and herbs. A few of them boast a single large pumpkin placed right at the stump’s center with vines curled all around the roots.
5The path widens out into a circular clearing. At the center a raised dais fountain pours with mirror-smooth water before cascading over the edge. The water supports a single clear gazing ball, gently rotating.
6The trees and plants here have all been tagged or marked with small signs, in delicate calligraphy. The signs name the plants and list some common uses. The signs help anyone who is looking to improve their foraging, granting a 1D4 bonus to foraging rolls for the next week.
7The path intersects with a calm river where a flat disc of stone, about 10′ across, is floating at the water’s edge. The river is causing the stone to rotate but it is caught in place by an outcrop of rock. As the river rotates the stone disc the disc grinds out more of the rock it has caught on. It has clearly been here for years as the stone it is stuck on has a sizable divot formed from the rotation.
8A small mossy cottage can be seen of a branch in the trail. The cottage is made of red pine with forest green roof tiles. It’s roof is a sharp steeple with a lit coppola. The cottage looks too small for anyone to really live in, perhaps enough space to keep out of any passing rain. Inside the walls of the house are completely painted with a detailed map of the area. A day’s ration for two people can be found in a chest by the entrance.
9You happen across a sheltered bench made of oak with a tall trellis supporting dense vines. There is a circle frame cut from the trellis at the back of the bench which perfectly frames a massive oak tree growing in a field to the west.
10From a distance it looks like this tree is radiating a bright and fiery energy along the ground. On closer inspection someone has taken the fallen leaves of the forest and arranged them around the base of a massive walnut tree so that the yellow ones are nearest to the trunk, then orange, then red, radiating out in a pattern to create the effect.
11Several glass windows in wooden frames have been scattered around this path, leaned against trees and laying on the ground.
12The path here dips down between an outcrop of stone that is densely covered in mosses and ferns. As the trail moves down, the stones raise up, towering far overhead yet still close enough to touch. At the nadir of the path a wooden bridge zigzags through two massive mossy stones. The railings of the bridge have wooden logs arranged in a fan pattern. Water drips down from the moss onto the passers of the bridge. The bridge crosses a skinny creek before the path slopes upwards again.
13The path happens upon a low wall made of loose stones. The wall is easy enough to hop over, but the path follows along only one side of the wall. After a few minutes of walking, a stone arched Moon Gate has been made, which the path follows through and continues onward.
14You come upon an oblong stone propped up vertically in the grasses. At its base, other oblong stones have been placed on the ground in a radiating sun pattern, all pointing toward the vertical stone. As the path progresses two more of these sculptures can be seen, though one of them was a great distance away from the path.
15Someone has built a lattice roof to cover this section of path. From it wisteria grows, hanging down fragrant purple flowers overhead. Squat square lanterns have been hung in between the flowers, but they are unlit.
16The base of a massive sequoia tree has been decorated with illusory butterflies, with iridescent purple wings. The butterflies are fluttering while clumped all over the bark of the tree so that the bark cannot even be seen. They only cover it in patches, with small trails of fluttering butterflies reaching up the tree trunk.
17The path has been lined with hanging wrought iron birdcages. The cage doors are all open and plants are growing inside, of all different types.
18Perfectly clear glass mushrooms have been placed throughout the forest around the trail, almost imperceptible but for their odd distortions of the soil.
19Several lanterns have been hung along the trail here. All of them are made of downward drooping blue leaves or flower petals, with the gently hovering lights trapped within the bundle of leaves. The leaves are wrapped with black iron which is then formed into a hook so the lanterns can be easily hung from above.
20Several logs have been placed along the trail as well as throughout the forest. The logs are cracked and the cracks have been refilled with clear resin. At night the resin glows brightly, lighting the way.
21In the dense forest someone has made a simple wooden frame of a house, with no walls or roof. At the center of the house they have hung a lit chandelier, and placed a lovely mahogany table with seating for eight, and a full place setting. The table, plates and chandler have become worn over time, cracked and dirty.
22Along this trail someone has gathered up sticks and twigs from the ground. Then, they wove the sticks together to make eight egg-shaped arches placed right over the path. The arches are about 7 feet tall, and can easily be passed through.
23The path rounds a hill and overlook a huge field, in the field a stepped tower ruin made of stone juts up. The tower is weathered and crumbling, and nothing can be found inside, but the sight is impressive.
24The path leads up through a grassy steppe and up through a steep hillside. The path gives way to stone stairs. Someone has come through and taken surplus stone slabs of the same material as the staircase and placed them vertically or at odd angles to decorate the trail.
25A small marble rotunda has been built at the edge of a river. It seats three comfortably but offers no shelter as the roof is made of latticed iron. At the center of the rotunda is a small statue of a cat holding a fish in its mouth proudly.
26The path crosses another, but does not directly connect as it goes under a large bridge. On the underside of the bridge someone has taken differently colored river stones and attached them to the ceiling to look like a clear night sky. Several well known constellations can be seen in their work.
27The path is unpaved, and generally unkempt, but you happen upon a short wide staircase, regal enough for any king. The staircase is 10 steps tall and wide enough for 5. It boasts a wide stone banister carved of marble. Carvings of plants and forest creatures decorate the sides. Someone has come through and pried all the gems from their eyes and the gold plating from the staircase in general, but the impressive stonework remains. The staircase connects to a higher portion of the path, which continues on as normal.
28The path begins to steepen, with roughly formed stairs leading the way. The trail takes a sharp hairpin bend to proceed. At the inner bend of their hairpin is a carefully carved statue of a woman, holding a fox in her arms. Several candles have been lit and placed all over the statue.
29A roughly hewn ladder leads up into a whirl of sticks sitting atop a thicket. It looks almost like a massive birds nest. The inside can not be seen until you climb the ladder. Inside is a sheltered padded bed that will fit two comfortably.
30The path passes directly through a huge tree. A set of stairs have been formed from the tree roots leading up to an open archway of bark that bisects the tree. Inside the archway many passers by have left behind graffiti.
31Three skinny trees have been carefully grown along the side of the path. They split from a common root and widen out to support a stone table top about 5′ across. Then they grow back inward, making a triple arch over the table, before recombining at the apex and finally leafing out in a natural tree formation. The table is clear.
32The fencing along the side of this trail is made up of live trees, grown in such a way that they weave their trunks together. At the top of these fences the trees sprout with bright green leaves. Beyond the fence, open prairie.
33The path becomes grassy and well maintained, and the trees become neatly trimmed. After a mile or so of this pristine artful forest the trees give way to an open clearing with a single wooden gazebo at the center, covered in flowers in full bloom. Benches all around the gazebo have been placed to support a large audience.
34The path leads along a rocky creek, flowing with crisp water. After half a mile the source of the creek is found, flowing from the palm of a massive hand carved of stone. The Hand gently tips the water on top of a single juvenile tree. The stones all around the hand and water are thick with mosses.
35A tree along the side of the path has been grown into an unnatural pattern. The trunk has split into several branches, the outermost forming a diamond shape, and the inner ones forming ‘holes’ around on another in a sort of weaving pattern. The branches all recombine to form the trunk after the diamond pattern and the rest of the tree appears to be normal.
36The path curves around the base of a massive white wisteria tree, with dark black winding branches and brilliant streams of white flowers. Petals are gently raining all along the trail.
37The path gives way to a long line of wooden discs carved from tree trunks, lined end to end for at least a mile of trail.
38Someone has hung a pentagram made of sticks from a tree overhanging the path, and tied each point in the star with a different bundle of drying herbs.
39The trail curves past a waterfall before cutting up through a stone cliff. Right before the staircase begins the stone landing has been carved into a beautiful viewing point for the falls, with dwarven cut banisters.
40The next section of path is clearly marked, and yet anyone approaching it has the strong urge to avoid the path, feeling a mix of wonder at the forest and annoyance at the path. There is no spell forcing anyone off the trail, merely a suggestion. A plaque laid out off the trail on either side reads “The road less traveled” Kevyn Picot. Multimedia; Forest, enchantment.
41The path approaches a pond. The pond is perfectly square around the outside, and the path moves over the pond, on a series of rough laid stones covered in mosses, in a curved pattern. Branching off the path at regular intervals are tight spirals of stone. The pond is smooth and several Koi fish can be seen swimming in the clear water.
42As you approach this section of trail a shimmering humanoid can be seen standing by a tree, smiling politely. When you are close enough the human figure – a young man wearing a well tailored three piece suit – offers a tour. If you take the tour, he will tell about a historical battle fought in this very forest hundreds of years ago when the land was contested between elves and a clan of centaur. If you decline, the humanoid wishes you well and goes back to smiling politely.
43It has rained recently, the ground is wet and muddy. As you continue on you come upon a deck of cards that has been scattered through the forest, some cards in the trail, some in trees, some half buried, but all of them are clean and pristine. If the party manages to gather all the cards, they immediately re-scatter from the holder’s hand, all over the forest once again.
44A single tree in the forest, a few yards off from the trail, shimmers with refracted light. On closer inspection the whole tree appears to have been carved from a massive deep blue tourmaline.
45Someone has put down mile markers along the trail, big slabs of local stone with carefully carved dwarven numbers. They are not evenly spaced though, and don’t seem to accurately reflect distance at all.
46A fox is resting on top of a sunny rock. The trail splits in two to go around the rock and then recombines on the other side.
47The trail has begun to run alongside a low, calm creek with flat stones at the bottom. The water is only about calf-high. Walking in the water is soothing and invigorating. However every so often the creek bed is marred with deep (20+ yard) stone holes, perfectly circular.
48The forest which was wild at the start of your journey, has been cleared of all trees except for birch [willow, maple, whatever], and there are no leaves on the ground . You don’t see any stumps. Nature check (10 or better) and you see that many patches of the earth have been filled in with fresh soil. Careful observation reveals that this patch of the forest trail deviates slightly from your map, but recombines with the expected trail when the birch forest ends.
49Someone has hung lanterns through this stretch of the forest trail. At night they light up with colourful elemental light. Every so often, you think you can see a lantern far off in the forest, away from the trail. Probably a trick of your eyes.
50At the top of a massive sequoia tree you can clearly see a single window, lit from the inside. After looking for a while, the light goes out and the window disappears.
51Someone has placed massive glowing spheres in the trees nearby, which have begun to grow over the spheres with time. The spheres glow a yellow orange and range from one foot to 4 feet in diameter. Some are high up in drooping branches, some tucked into the roots of trees.
52In the forest something vaguely humanoid catches your eye, just for a moment. It is deep in the brush but, moving your head slightly, you can just barely make the outline of a person. If the party inspects further they will find a human sized sculpture made entirely of a mirrored surface, to reflect the forest around them.
53Broken pottery scatters the ground. Pieces of broken flower pots lay all around the roots of the trees here, giving the sense that these trees burst out of their former containers rather quickly.
54Someone has knit a long winding strip of colorful yarn to cover the path for the next 10 yards. The yarn seems stain resistant and resilient, as the colors have held true for who knows how long. Walking on it is very soft and pleasant.
55Someone has come through this section of forest and dug the soil away from the trail to form a sort of top-down view of a home. The ‘pit’ is about 6 feet down, and contains furnishings and walls formed from the soil, avoiding tree roots where it can. The house meanders along the path and is not traditionally square or regular. The path is untouched, but bisects this ‘house’ of sorts.
56Though the area here is wild, someone has planted a row of rosebushes along this section of trail, the roses are in full, brilliant bloom.
57A statue of an angel with a large stone sword stands to the right of the trail. Several small pouches have been laid at its feet.
58You can hear faint voices up ahead. As you approach, you seem to have stumbled into a painting class. Students at a wide range of ages are scattered throughout the field with easels, painting the landscape. A teacher, and old woman, walks between them offering critique and guiding her students.
59The trees overhead have had translucent fabric hung from their branches, just barely reaching the trail. It is easy to push the fabric aside to continue. As the trail progresses the fabric changes from white to pink and on through a rainbow of colors.
60The trees along this stretch of pathway have had a myriad of wedding dresses fitted to their trunks. Some of the dresses are older, rotting away with mosses and torn by the growing trunk. Some are recent and pristine.
61A hundred or so Wands have been stuck point first into the soil at the edge of the trail, making a small field of sticks. Each wand appears to be different in style, and some appear to be affecting the surrounding plantlife with their presence.
62The trail slopes downward into a field of mostly boulders. All throughout someone has lit incense atop the rocks, creating a strongly perfumed smoky fog along the trail.
63A large red clay pot has been placed on its side at the top of a nearby creek falls. The back of the pot has been removed to let water flow in, changing the waterfall’s course to flow out of the mouth of the pot, giving the effect of constant pouring.
64Woven spheres of sticks have been placed over sprouting plants along the trail. It appears the intent was to encourage planted vines and bushes to grow into the sphere pattern, but the plants have only just recently begun to grow.
65A huge tree grows at the bend in the trail, apparently healthy. However a full 2 feet of trunk has been removed, leaving the top of the tree hovering, fully unsupported. In place of the missing trunk, a crystal pendulum is attached to the top part of the tree, hanging down in the center of the would-be trunk. A detailed glyph has been burned into the bottom stump depicting an 8 pointed star with axis for ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Trusted’ and ‘Deceiver’. As people walk by the pendulum moves to point to different areas of the glyph.
66A tree ahead is blooming out of season. Upon closer inspection at the base of each blossom a silver ring fits snugly. Removing the ring causes the blossom to wither and die.
67Ahead the mountain trail gives way down a steep cliff with a descending staircase. Along the way, several man-made turquoise pools of water cascade down into one another from a local spring. The pools each feed into one another and have a submerged bench to seat between 5 and 10. No other people can be seen.
68You began noticing a few spider webs catching morning dew as you continue. The webbing becomes more and more common and as it does, the strands shimmer with iridescent color. After a while thick and heavy opal strands drape over the trail like blankets. Eventually the webbing fades like it appeared, and the trail is clear again. For the rest of the day, your party is unperturbed by insects.
69The trail passes by a clearing with a circle of wagons at the center. The wagons appear to be overgrown and rotting. On closer inspection there are a group of statues of merchants in poses of laughter, trade, or rest. All of them appear happy. Many of the wagons contain small offerings, perhaps left by passing merchants?
70Ahead you can clearly see snow falling, regardless of season. The trail passes through the center of a miniature town sculpted from toothpicks. The town is massively detailed, with the tallest 4 story buildings only raising to chest height. Tiny lights have been enchanted in the lamp posts and houses. Snow gently falls here, landing in the soil, but never accumulates more than an inch.
71The forest ahead is filled with birdhouses of various shapes and styles. Birdseed has been scattered, and birdfeeders hang off from the trail. The whole forest is alive with bird calls.
72You happen across a long bridge spanning a chasm. Glancing to the northeast you see another bridge, made of a fallen tree and much more wild than this one. A procession of elk, deer, wolves and smaller creatures are crossing the bridge calmly together. When they reach the other side you can no longer see them.
73You hear the sound of distant creaking. Perception check to spot, deep in the forest, a structure. Far off the trail is an overgrown sailing ship, sails unfurled and billowing. There is a large hole in the hull. Trees and mosses have overtaken the ship.
74The trail opens to a cliff’s edge, overlooking the village ahead, rolling patches of farmland quilt the land below. A tall curchtower rises up from between the wooden homes. A gust of wind pulls across the land, making a ridge of bowed plants and curling the smoke from the chimneys.
75A pair of gigantic antlers are arched over the trail, over the party’s heads with room to spare. Glistening strings with blown glass stars have been hung from various points on the antlers.
76The trail peters out over an open field, several groups of locals are scattered in the grasses on blankets, eating and laughing. The groups appear to be friends and families, with many children running and playing. Tonight the Northern Lights are expected to make a great showing, according to the local wizard, and people are already arriving to get good seats.
77The trail passes by half a stone face carved from a boulder, Just this half of the face is taller than any party member. A mile down the trail, the other half of the face. Farther still, a hand holding a sword hilt and the broken fragments of sword. Then another hand holding onto a lantern the size of a small house, lit by some magical force. The plant life around this lantern has withered to dust. At the center of the next village is a massive stone platform.
78Paint marks on the trees of this forest come together from one specific viewing angle to form the portrait of an elf, from all other angles the paint simply looks like a chaotic mess.
79The trail passes by a circular mirror which is being held from behind by a statue. The Statue depicts a man in a cloak with an impossibly long neck and the face of a barn owl, peering over the top of the mirror and gazing at itself.
80Along the trail are spheres of iron, hollow on the inside about 2 feet in diameter. The iron shell has been cut out to show a forest scene made in metal, each sphere has a different scene. Someone has set a campfire inside each. The fire on the inside of the sculpture backlights the iron cutouts, and lights the trail.
81Someone has placed dress forms along the trail. Over time the forest has re-claimed the dress forms. Mosses drape over some, vines crawl up others, flowers have bloomed around the base of one, making a very impressive neckline. Each mannequin seems to have grown a beautiful dress or suit.
82Several tree trunks have been stripped of all branches and bark. Faces and animal forms have been carved into the remaining wood, still rooted to the ground.
83In the lush green forest a massive circle of obsidian, about 20 feet across, has been placed just off the trail. It is elevated off the ground about 2 feet, held up by wrought iron legs. A recent rainfall has filled the slightly concave surface with perfectly smooth reflective water. After looking for a moment, a drop of water falls from a tree, disturbing the smooth surface.
84Rather than building a bridge over the top of this stream, someone has tunneled underneath. Inside the tunnel is lit by a cluster of luminescent moths.
85The forest seems to be recovering from a fire, perhaps one or two years prior. In the wake of the fire someone has come through with colorful translucent resin, pouring it in the cracks of half burned trees and logs and reshaping the portions that has been burned. With the returning overgrowth the forest appears bright and surreal.
86Several animal skulls are piled to the right of the trail. Each one has been delicately carved with an intricate pattern, without losing the structural integrity of the skulls.
87At a bend in the trail, just off to the right, someone has placed a perfectly smooth cylinder of white marble, 7 feet tall. Walking around to the back of the cylinder reveals a highly detailed face has been carved into a deep crack in the marble.
88On either side of the trail Two massive stone wings have been placed, reaching toward the sky.
89A massive illusionary koi fish swims through the forest trees along the trail. Every so often dipping down to pass right through the party. Each time it does, the air smells of fresh mint.
90Someone has taken the heads of old broken shovels and attached them at the base to make a huge metal pine cone. Then they placed it on this trail, for some reason.
91At first you think perhaps someone has spilled a bag of coins, but you realize that the scattered coins get more and more dense, almost like a mosaic. For about 10 yards the trail is perfectly paved with coins before the trail peters out again. The coins here appear to be from all different regions, in small denominations. Should you leave some coins to further the trail too?
92The trail here ha been draped with mosquito netting. In addition to freeing you from the pestering of insects, you also have a chance to see several beautiful moths and butterflies up close from the other side of the net, they don’t seem to notice you while you are in the netting.
93A stray dog wanders up to you on the trail and decides to walk with you. He has a red bandanna tied around his neck. After about a mile or so he wanders off again.
94Passing by a wide stream you spy a stray cat walking into the water. To your shock the water arcs around the cat, keeping it perfectly dry. With a deft swipe the cat snatches a fish from the water wall in front of it, and leaves the stream, still dry, now fed.
95The trail has become a stone hopscotch board.
96You come upon a small decorated sign that reads “the masquerade trail – Speak aloud your costume” The sign can not be passed without speaking a request. For the next 6 miles of trail an illusion of the requested costume surrounds you. Along the trail several other costumed travelers pass.
97A sculpture of a giant metal key leans against an old tree. It is labeled “Important”
98The trail bisects a white wall, 6 feet high. The wall moves from north to south in a straight line, with no end in sight. Passing through the wall the interior side shows two different scenes, in motion. On the wall running north; a snowy village with several children having a snowball fight. On the wall running south; A bustling city in the midst of a festival. The wall is made of calcite, a Rock that refracts light and images.
99The path opens up into a field where several gigantic metal rings support celestial sculptures. The Sun and Moon are represented by colorful and bright spheres carved into the faces of two women. Other planets and important stars have their own rings. It appears that the rings move in time with the celestial bodies, accurately depicting their position from the perspective of someone at the center of the sculpture.
100The forest has changed to become meticulously kept, more like a garden than the wilderness. At the base of each forest tree for the next mile is a small table with a bonsai tree, a perfect miniature of the tree it has been placed under. After a mile you come across an elderly man who is tending to a bonsai, not yet quite perfectly matching it respective tree. The Man invites you for a meal and a blessing from the forest.
 

Roleplaying questions

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Roleplaying questions

Roll the Dice
1If your character wasn’t an adventurer, what livelihood would they lead?
2Who in the party would your character trust the most with their life?
3What are your character’s core moral beliefs?
4What relationship does your character have with their parents and siblings?
5Does your character have any biases for or against certain races?
6What is your character’s opinion on nobility? On authority?
7Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc.
8What location encountered in the campaign has your character felt the most “at home” in, or just generally liked the most?
9What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship?
10If your character had time to pick up any artisan’s tools, game set, instrument, etc., what would it be?
11Describe your character’s current relationship with the player character sitting to your right.
12What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence?
13Does your character ever want to “settle down” with a spouse, children, house, etc.?
14Has your character ever been in love?
15What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character?
16If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead?
17What is your character’s favorite season?
18What would your character’s Zodiac sign be, following stereotypical astrology?
19Where in the world does your character most want to visit?
20What is the biggest mistake your character has ever made?
21Does your character have any noticeable scars? If so, what are their stories?
22What animal best represents your character?
23If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be?
24Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with?
25Does your character regret any particular choice the party has made?
26What would your character say their best trait would be?
27What is your character’s greatest fear? Deep, irrational?
28What is currently motivating your character to stay with the party?
29What are your character’s hobbies and interests outside of their class?
30What would most people think when they first see your character?
31What stereotypical group role does your character play in the party? (The Mom, the Mess, the Comic Relief, etc. Optionally: What role would your character play in the “Five Man Band” structure?)
32What is your character the most insecure about?
33What person does your character admire most?
34What does your character admire and dislike the most about the player character sitting to your left?
35Why is your character’s lowest stat their lowest (the in-character reason, not “because there’s no reason for a wizard to have 16 strength, duh”)?
36What would be your character’s theme song/favorite band/favorite genre of music?
37What stereotypical role would your character play in a high school AU/if they attended a normal high school? (Nerd, jock, bully, goth, etc.)
38What treasure/item/artifact that your character has collected during the adventure is the most important to them?
39Is there any particular weapon, item, etc. that your character longs to find?
40Where does your character feel the most at home?
41Does your character care about how they’re perceived by others? How do they change themselves to fit in with other people?
42What does your character think is the true meaning of life?
43What is your character’s scent? (Bonus points for a description that sounds like it could be from a bad [or awesome] fanfic.)
44Does your character think more with their heart or their brain?
45What is your character’s most recent or frequent nightmare?
46What opinion does your character have on [CERTAIN ESTABLISHED GROUPS/AUTHORITIES IN THE GAME WORLD]? (Dragonmarked Houses, royal crown, etc.)
47How did your character spend their childhood? Where did they grow up/who were their childhood friends?
48What aspect of your character’s future are they most curious about? (If they could know one thing about the future, what would it be?)
49What colors are associated with your character?
50Who in the party would your character prioritize rescuing, in dire circumstances?
51Is your character the most swayed by ethos, pathos, or logos?
52If your character was granted a single use of Wish, what would they use it for?
53What is your character’s favorite spell? If they don’t use spells: what is their favorite personal weapon/combat maneuver/skill/etc.?
54How does your character feel about keeping secrets from the rest of the party?
55What type of creature in the world is your character the most intrigued by?
56When they were a child, what did your character want to be, or think they were going to be, when they grew up?
57The player character to your left admits that they’re passionately in love with your character. How would your character respond?
58If somebody (an NPC, someone from their backstory, etc.) your character trusts/loves asked your character to do something against the party’s best interest, who would they side with?
59Does your character value their own best interest more than the party’s?
60What decision would the party have to make in order for your character to consider splitting off from the group?
61How does your character imagine the way they will die?
62What is your character’s greatest achievement?
63Is your character willing to risk the well-being of others in order to achieve their goal?
64What is your character’s opinion on killing others?
65What is your character’s favorite food? Beverage?
66How generous is your character? Especially to those they don’t know?
67What is your character the most envious about, regarding anyone in the party?
68The player character to your left and the player character to your right are both telling your character two different versions of the truth. Who does your character believe?
69What is your character’s sexuality/relationship with sex?
70What is your character’s biggest pet peeve?
71Describe how your character feels about the party’s current situation/objective/etc.
72Who in the party would your character trust the most to keep an important secret?
73If your character knew that they were going to die in a month, how would they spend the rest of their life?
74What makes your character feel safe?
75If your character had the chance to rename the party/give the party a name, no questions asked, what would it be?
76What memory does your character want to forget the most?
77If your character had to multiclass into a class they currently aren’t the next time they level up, what would it be and what reason would they have for doing so?
78What television/book/video game/etc. character would your character be best friends with? (Or: what media character is your character the most influenced by/similar to?
79What unusual talents does your character possess?
80How does your character feel about receiving/giving orders? Are they more of a leader, or a follower?
81What does your character’s name represent to them? (Or: why as a player did you choose your character’s name?)
82Is your character more of an introvert, or an extrovert?
83How far is your character willing to go to pursue the “greater good”? Do they believe in a greater good at all?
84What does your character want to be remembered by?
85What would be your character’s major in college?
86Does your character consider themselves a hero, villain, or something else?
87What major arcana tarot card best represents your character?
88Where does your character see themselves in 20 years?
89What is your character’s relationship with magic? Are they scared of it, wish to know more about it, indifferent to it?
90Who is your character’s biggest rival?
91What is your character’s guiltiest pleasure?
92What does your character hope for the afterlife?
93Who in the party does your character trust the least?
94What is your character’s biggest flaw?
95How did your character learn the languages that they speak?
96What is your character’s favorite school of magic/type of weaponry?
97What is most important to your character: health, wealth, or happiness?
98What advice would your character give to a younger version of themselves?
99Are there any social or political issues your character feels strongly about?
100What, currently, is your character the most curious about?
 

Travel Complications

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Travel Complications

Roll the Dice
1While traveling on the road, you come across a massive tree that has fallen in the middle of the road. It will take 1d10 hours to clear. Unbeknownst to the party, a massive ogre is hiding in a nearby cliff waiting for an unsuspecting caravan to wander into his tree trap.
2The main road has been washed out. Crossing the gap would be dangerous and time consuming. There is an alternate route through the woods which are known to harbour a multitude of threats, but it’s faster than dealing with the washout.
3The party comes across a caravan in distress. Bandits have been known to set ambushes like this to catch unsuspecting travelers, but there are also rumours of a merchant caravan that’s late returning from the capitol. What do you do?
4A lost child wanders the road, heading back the way you came. It’s too late in the day to get back to town before nightfall, and you need to be in the next city over by morning.
5You see a dying man at the side of the road. If you stop, he tells you that [Person]’s guards attacked and robbed him. You are en route to an audience with [Person] to negotiate a lucrative commission, and as far as you know, s/he is a pillar of the community.
6A blizzard swirls up, impairing vision and forcing players to make con saves against cold damage.
7A white stag/any other big game animal crosses the road and bolts. Do the adventurers pass on this trophy that could be worth money for its pelt/antlers/alchemical ingredients or do they go hunting?
8The party happen upon a hoard of coins (usually gold) in the middle of the road. It’s more than they can carry and there’s no obvious way to transport it. A group of level appropriate humanoids are circling around, intent on taking the hoard for themselves.
9You find the last survivor of a zombie/goblin/werewolf/etc. attack. He/she asks you to bring him back to his guild, which specializes in hunting this kind of monster.
10You come across the last survivor of a pack of peaceful werewolves who are being hunted by vicious werewolf hunters. He/she asks you to return him to the rest of the clan.
11You stumble into the middle of a fight between bandits and evil wizards fighting over a caravan of potentially valuable supplies. Neither party has seen you yet.
12A farmer or other commoner is transporting an offering to a fearsome enemy (giant, wizard, orc chieftain, etc.). He/she tells you that the village has managed to remain untouched by offering livestock/goods/gold in exchange for safety.
13You are approached by a zealous group of cultists. They begin preaching to you that the world is going to about to be destroyed by the god they worship, and ask you if you’d like to join their end-of-the-world party (attending reveals that the world is not, in fact, about to end).
14While passing through an abandoned farm, you come across a scarecrow that psychically whispers to you. It gives the party an “impossible” riddle and claims that if you cannot answer then it will not let you pass. Note: Scarecrow cannot move and players need not answer the riddle in order to simply walk past.
15A group of goblins standing on each other’s shoulders in trenchcoats trick travelers into coming to help fix their broken down wagon, and rob them for every copper they’re worth.
16The only way to progress is through the aftermath of a battlefield. Many of the traps put in place by mages haven’t been disabled yet, and the party must navigate safely through it.
17There is an illusory spell over the forest that they are traveling in that causes people to think that the road is taking them in circles. People who pass the save must convince the others that they are going the right way.
18There is a caravan of magical meat traders that are going from city to city. However, they only trade meat for meat instead of trading with gold.
19There is a tiny earth elemental trying to learn how to juggle. If the party tries to touch it, an angry mother will come out of the woods to attack them.
20A group of teenagers were smoking in the woods and accidentally started a forest fire. Unfortunately, the party is in that forest and needs to get out.
21The road comes to a large river. A new, high-quality bridge has been built over the river by a goblin clan who are seeking to overcome evil natures and to make an honest living. They are charging what is, in fact, a high if still fair fee.
22The path and map somehow did not mention a mountain that sits right in the middle of the road. The party did not notice the mountain until it was directly upon them.
23The village that you come to has just had adventurers a lot like your party come through, and have prepared an appropriate welcome. If your party are heroes, it might be fresh-baked bread. If your party is a bunch of jerk murder-hoboes, it might be tar and feathers.
24A large group of pigs are running every which way. A young girl in a ragged dress is trying to herd them together, sniffling slightly. If approached, she explains her father and mother are sick, but the pigs are supposed to be sold at the market, and they need the money for medicine.
25A worried-looking half-orc desperately tries to convince your party they are going the wrong way, and that they should take a similar (if slightly longer) trail to their destination. A religion check reveals that he is a cleric of a knowledge deity. If the party ignore him, he tries to convince them for a while, then shakes his head sadly and begins trudging away.
26A small stretch of woods are petrified in place and time, completely silent and perfectly still. Anyone touching anything but the path in the forest finds it hard as stone and completely immovable. There are birds and other animals in the forest, but they too are as still as statues.
27A vicious squirrel begins throwing nuts and chattering at the party. It doesn’t do any real damage, but it is painful and annoying.
28A nest of baby hydras! Kill ’em, avoid ’em, or (with a successful handle animal check) take one with you! Where’s the mother, anyway?
29Someone has left a trail of copper pieces, leading off the road to a cave. The cave is heavily trapped and ends in an empty chest. You hear giggling when the chest opens, but no one is in sight.
30A large group of pilgrims and flagellants are making their way slowly up the road in front of you, slowing you down. They make no attempt to give ground to you and eye you with some vague hostility.
31A deep moat has been dug across the path in front of you. Two gnomes on the other side are looking at a map and blueprints and arguing with each other. They make no attempt to help you cross.
32An 8-year old boy is peacefully leading a giant pit fiend/ Manticore/ Purple Worm on a chain behind him down the road. If asked about it, he laughs and says, “oh, that’s our cow. She just likes to play tricks on strangers.” He then ruffles the- whatever- and continues on his way whistling.
33Your map failed to mention a road inn halfway to your destination. The inn is completely empty with the door torn off it’s hinges. With a local knowledge/geography check you know that this inn shouldn’t even be here, this was once the location of a grave site.
34An armored retinue of Soldiers and Clerics bearing a King’s/Lord’s/God’s banner have set up an inspection point, requiring all passing through to declare their belongings, allegiances and purpose for passing. Zone of Truth, Detect Evil and Good, and Truesight are in use.
35You come across 2 NPC’s arguing over which one is real, and which is a hallucination.
36You discover a 50ft wide flowing river crossing perpendicular to your path. This same river can’t be found on any maps.
37A great human knight has just died of a heart attack as he travelled down the road. His squire and page have pulled him to the side, and one has gone to fetch help. The knight has powerful magical armor and weaponry which would fetch a pretty penny, and there are robbers about…
38The road is completely blocked off as if an avalanche or rock slide occurred. Problem is the area is pretty flat and you don’t understand how the rocks got here.
39A group of animals have been killed and aligned in a strange formation with weird symbols drawn in blood. Party could find out this was used for a ritual of sorts.
40You turn a corner and the road ahead is blocked by a pool of lava. Upon inspection, there is no heat. Futher inspection will reveal it is a illusion spell. Perhaps a silly prank by a wizard. You can walk through the lava.
41As you make your way along the road, you come across a rotting dead animal carcass. The smell is horrid, but it is nothing out of the ordinary. As you continue, a few more animal carcasses are strewn across the road. More and more bodies begin to appear along the road the further you go. You eventually come face to face with a 20ft wall stacked full of bodies ranging from livestock, predatory animals, and even people. The wall blocks the road, and the only ways to proceed include scaling a nearby muddied-with-blood slope, backtracking to find another route, or digging through.
42The travelers find themselves at a crossroads, then the same going forward, and again. The party is trapped in a magical loop, until they can dispel it or notice the difference in the pattern, such as flower locations or a bird’s flight path.
43You were sold bad travelling gear at your last stop – the rations are worthless, the water tainted, the leather goods falling apart.
44Flash Flood: A downpour upstream has triggered a flash flood over a low part of the road. Although the water is 3 feet deep, the current is so swift that it will without fail sweep away anyone trying to ford it. Individuals swept away face the risks of bludgeoning, impalement on debris, and drowning. By stepping in it at the shallower edge, it is obvious to even survival novices that it will be extremely dangerous to cross, especially towards the middle. The party can choose to wait it out if they like although it will take a long while.
45Stampede: A large herd of bison/gnus has been spooked and is wildly stampeding down the road as it is the path of least resistance. Get out of the way or be trampled.
46Landslide: Heavy rain and a small earthquake triggers a series of small 30-foot-wide landslides. The party needs to book it before a larger one hits.
47Help with wheel repair: A traveling caravan of nomadic folk has a broken wagon wheel. The lady in charge is a seer and offers insight on your fortunes, but no gold, if you stop and help.
48Bad signs: A jerk has rearranged the roadsigns at an intersection so they point to the wrong places.
49Pulled over by the highway patrol: A peacekeeping army-guard convoy is marching through. They are corrupt and will harass and attempt to search the party and may try to take money or goods they find suspicious or the party cannot explain the providence of. They will also apprehend known criminals. The party may get most of their stuff returned by “appealing” (aka paying a bribe) to a similarly corrupt local court.
50The Wyld Hunt – The fey are out hunting. Beware. They have already chosen a quarry, but don’t stick around, lest one of them choose you as their next.
51After walking for a good few miles along the path down the clear road, you reach an invisible barrier. Then the illusion breaks – this Mirage Arcane made this deep cave look like a clear plains with a nice lovely stone path identical to the one you’ve been following. You are half a mile into this cave, and the fey who have lured you here do NOT want you to leave without doing something for them first.
52Modrons: Along the path you find a group of modrons (2 monodrones and a duodrone). These modrons were not given the return order during the last modron march (due to complications from becoming attacked) and are still trying to collect data. Upon noticing the party they harass them for data, doing things like surveying them and mesuring the size of their clothes while they are walking. They continue to do this until they either lose sight of the party or are destroyed.
53A fire can be seen just under a mile away in an obviously cultivated field, the wind now blows billows of smoke over the road the party is crossing. The field belongs to a local alchemist who has seeded it with various medicinal herbs. The smoke is highly intoxicating, impressing odd conditions and visions upon the party members.
54Improper care – the terrain has taken an unfortunate toll on your foot ware. Your soles are falling apart, movement reduced by 33%.
55A mounted knight in full tournament jousting gear mistakes the party for his entourage/bodyguard and insists that they escort him to his next competition.
56The party come across a revenant who is nearing his target. The target isn’t any one in the party but the adventurers have a chance to intervene.
57Someone in your party has dysentery.
58Everyone the party asked in the last town/village/waypoint has said the only safe way to get through the valley is to take the blue path, detailed and maintained by both of the communities it is flanked by. The villagers all said the upkeep was mutual, and that they were on very good terms with the other town/village/waypoint.
59Upon getting out of the first town’s territory, they find the rest of the path barricaded and blocked, the barricade older and written in an archaic version of the prime language. The trees and animals all look like they are from a different time. There is a ‘detour’ path but it’s filled with primeval dangers.
60While traveling the carriage you are riding on hits a rather large bump causing an already weak axel to snap rendering the carriage useless. The party must either find a way to fix the snapped wood so that they continue, or they can try and convince another traveler to help.
61You find the rats have gotten into your rations. You’ll either need to make constitution saving throws or find new food.
62A massive and extremely powerful dragon ambushes you somewhere along your journey through a massively dense and vast forest. It is strong enough to slaughter you all without trying, and is upset that you are not aware of it. Gonna have to talk fast to appease it. It also desires a rare food item you possess, and will allow you to pass if you offer it the food and an appeal to its vanity.
63This actually happened to me in a campaign: An axle on the cart breaks and a druid, in an attempt to repair the cart, accidentally Druidcrafts the wooden wheel or another wooden piece of the cart into a bush.
64There’s been an earthquake, and the pathway is blocked by something. It might be a fallen tree, a crack in the ground, or a piece of land that broke off a mountainside. Either way, it’s going to be difficult to get past it and nigh-impossible to get a cart across.
65Jack’s Lanterns – Strange lights can be seen far away, off the path. They hover over pits and quagmire, and will trap unwary travellers.
66Dimensional Instability – There’s been a small ripple in the planar fabric between worlds. For a few moments, another plane is open. It might be the Elemental Plane of Fire, the Feywild, the Shadowfell, the Astral Plane, or even one of the realms of the gods.
67Mystic Orchard – A large area filled with various trees and bushes, each one covered with different fruits. Food is plentiful, but some of the assorted berries might be poisonous or have a side-effect.
68Overgrowth – The path is overgrown with vines, grasses, and tree roots. It is difficult terrain to move past, and will take twice as long to cross.
69Oh look, it’s a giant stag. Roll 2d4. 2-4 means the stag charges. 5-7 means it looks at your party and moves on. 8 means it bows before you, granting your party a 2-point Charisma Bonus for the next week.
70A felled tree blocks your path, and the way around is blocked by dense overgrowth.
71You come across a large battlefield of some previous encounter with hundreds of bodies laying strewn across the ground and piles of corpses heaped into stinking mounds, crossing around will take a full day but if they cross through they need to make a Constitution save DC 15 or become sickened with rot from fly bites carrying disease which gives the poisoned status for 24 hours.
72The next town is roughly 50 days away around the mountain and the only other way is through a tunnel with a REALLY steep fee. (Or a SECRET TUNNEL)
73A mating ball of poisonous snakes is in the way.
74A herd of wild goats appear. One takes a particular liking to any dwarves in the party.
75The remains of a horse on the trail have attracted a bear. It’s too busy gorging to notice you.
76A forest fire blocks the path after a thunderstorm.
77Snow melt have turned a small creek into a massive raging river. The only bridge is destroyed.
78A recent landslide has resulted in several large boulders tumbling into a narrow section of the river, making it very difficult to navigate in the Dory boat the party is traveling in. The boat has an HP of 13, roll 1d4 x 4 to see if it safely makes it through, without the hull being opened up, which would cause it to sink.
79A mess of vines blocks the party’s way. Seems like a sharp weapon will be needed.
80Two bugbears are sleeping off their hangover in the middle of the road. You can try to sneak past, take a detour, or attack.
81Part of the path has been washed away leaving a large, deep mud puddle that is difficult to traverse around with the wagon/cart because of the dense bush either side. If the party chooses to forge through it takes them 2d20 minutes, and they end up covered in the thick, sticky, foul smelling mud. If the party chooses to clear a path to the side it takes them 3d20 minutes.
82You notice an abundance of sink holes in the field. Players bust be careful with their footing as well as not grouping up to close together.
83You find two exact similar dwarfs fighting each other with crossbows and taking cover. Both say the other is a doppelgänger. None of them is, they’re just lost siblings. One is named Thruduanir and the other is just named Greg.
84A small red skinned creature sits ontop of a rock on the side of the road. It waves to you and implies that it wants to play a game with you, to pass his test to get his higher devil horns. If not, he vanishes. Roll a d6. 1-2 the devil vanishes and leaves a small purse filled with coin, around 10gp.(the coins turn to lead in one hour) 3-4 a group of (appropriate) undead appears and will fight for their souls to be released by the devil. 5-6 a (appropriate) demonic being is brought into existence, will attack the group immediately.
85An old sagelike man sits on the side of the road and begs the party for food, water or gold. -If given food, he disappears and gives a blessing to the goddess of wanderers, the party will not be disturbed on their next long rest. -If given water/wine/ale, the old man hands the party an everflowing mug, containing what they gave him in the first place. -If given gold, he asks the partymember what his favorite animal is and then hands over a golden egg. Soon, a familiar of choice (will grow up to one feet tall) will be born from the egg. -If given nothing, he curses you and will stripe your party of half their rations and water.
86A hangman and magistrate with a constructed gallows are preparing to execute a man for poaching. The man sees the party and yells for help as the hangman struggles to get him in the noose.
87A “very human” child is drawing strange runes in the dirt with a bag of blue sand.
88A Traveling circus is coming the other way and they want to practice their act: A mind control/hypnosis performance. At some point the party realizes they have no intention of letting whoever they hypnotize leave the troupe.
89A dozen ogres are playing hide and seek. They don’t really feel like eating you, they just want to play.
90You find a merfolk in a barrel of water by the side of the road. You are at least a mile from the nearest water source.
91Half a skeleton grabs onto the back of your horse/wagon.
92All forms of vegetation along a lengthy stretch of the road have been transformed into glass, while the top inch of the terrain has transformed into obsidian. Along the sides of the road are statues of confused, frightened animals made from random rocks and minerals. All organic life in the area slowly begins transforming into various rocks and minerals over the course of one full day, at which point the organisms are petrified. A fully transformed organism may only be cured through use of Greater Restoration or a similarly powerful magical effect. Upon leaving the stretch of the road, any partially petrified creatures have the transformation process occur in reverse at the same rate.
93A friendly, sentient dust devil comes across the party and follows them around for 1d4 hours, behaving like an excited puppy for its duration. It communicates by swaying forward and back for affirmation, and left and right for negation.
94A speaking animal, like a frog or a bird, is passing your way, looking for direction and a way to be polymorphed back into it’s true form.
95A bare piece of plains, with a large stone set in the middle. The still legible inscription reminds of a great battle long ago. Ghosts are said to haunt here in the night.
96A flat corridor between mountain passes has many windmills dotting the landscape due to the constant and unvarying wind flow. One of the windmills lies in the middle of the path ahead.
97A large, deep depression in the ground that appears to be covered in smooth, gray-black glass. If one slips and falls in, it is very difficult to get out. At the edges, it fades into the soil, and there is grass growing in cracks in it. If broken, it is very sharp. There are several animal skeletons at the bottom.
98A recent landslide has exposed a large fossil in the middle of the path.
99Two wizards are dueling on the path ahead. They continually cast Ice Wall, making it nearly impossible to pass.
100A two-headed giant is napping on the path ahead. Do you try and fight, or sneak past him?

Social Encounters

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Social Encounters on the Road

Roll the Dice
1A bard or minstrel, half dressed and looking over his shoulder.
2Farmer going to/returning from market with his meager goods.
3Farmer going to/returning from town with his/her sons.
4Farmer going to/returning from town with his/her daughters.
5Girl running away from home.
6Boy running away to the city.
7A lost child, in tears and holding a torn sack.
8A troupe of entertainers, led by an overdressed and curious Elf.
9Full company of mercenaries, led by a stout, dark bearded Captain.
10A small group of mercenaries, dishevelled and sweating.
11Minor noble travelling via horse, with servants.
12Minor noble going to/returning from hunt, with retinue.
13Local bailiff, sheriff or warden, with a suspicious outlook of strangers.
14A hunter or poacher, with a huge longbow strapped to their back.
15A pair of hunters or poachers, arguing about who is to blame for a missed shot.
16Large trading caravan, with accompanying surly guards.
17A lone trader/merchant on foot, leading a mule carrying their wares.
18Lone trader/merchant riding on a horse drawn wagon.
19Limping bailiff and his badly beaten prisoner.
20Escaped prisoner, manacled and carrying a religious icon.
21Sheriff and his dogs, out hunting an outlaw.
22A boundary warden with a broken bow and empty scabbard, fuming as he walks.
23Lone travelling priest, carrying a lit censer with an acrid smell.
24Lone travelling cleric, with a faintly glowing mace.
25Charismatic priest and retinue of apostles, who are mumbling to each other and won’t make eye contact.
26A cleric and a small retinue of acolytes, full of confidence.
27A ranger/boundary warder patrol, with a cheerful leader.
28A patrol from the local city or town guard, nervous about being out of town.
29A foot messenger, with a ducal ring on his hand.
30A horse messenger wearing a royal tabard and carrying a fine leather satchel.
31A travelling historian carrying a sack of old stone statues.
32A starving beggar, willing to trade information for food.
33A group of refugees, telling stories of war and oppression in their homeland.
34A wounded soldier, limping along on crutches.
35A deserting soldier carrying a memento of a fallen friend.
36A wandering dog, with a silver collar and name tag.
37A bear wearing a collar and trailing a frayed rope.
38A riderless horse, with bulging saddlebags.
39A thrown rider, trying to catch his horse.
40A wandering madman, ranting about an invisible creature.
41A pair of dwarven prospectors, arguing loudly about where they took a wrong turn.
42Halfling cook/chef, out foraging for ingredients.
43Overturned wagon with injured merchant.
44A bored elderly gnome, with a curious mechanical toy.
45Fisherman by a riverside, without any fish.
46Druid planting rows of trees across the road.
47A drunk from a nearby tavern, unsteady on his feet.
48A partially smashed coffin, with a “corpse” inside which is slowly moving.
49A dealer of “used magical artefacts”.
50An elf picking and eating wild berries.
51A manic Herbalist, with green smears around his mouth.
52Group of robed monks, carrying a lit censer.
53A squire chasing his drunken master’s horse.
54An armoured Dragonborn sitting on a stone, sharpening a sword and sighing.
55Farmer with an unmoving mule, laden with fruit.
56Guarded and chained prisoners digging a ditch.
57A pair of wagon drivers preparing to race each other.
58A tiny Earth Elemental, shifting pebbles from one side of the road to the other.
59A group of dancing lights, which keep just ahead of the party.
60A drug addict, coming down from their last score.
61A harmless ghost, sadly humming an old song.
62A gnome riding an armoured mastiff.
63A hawker trying to find his bird.
64A grave robber, with mud on his shoes and a dark, wet sack on his back.
65A friendly necromancer with several raised skeletons, who offers to share food.
66A gang of youths from a nearby town.
67A gnomish tinker & merchant, offering magical mending.
68A Quickling, fleeing from the service of a warlock.
69A drunken Hill Giant, asleep and snoring loudly.
70A starving hermit, bearing a sword handle without a blade.
71A migrating Treant, walking down the middle of the road.
72A dead knight’s retinue, returning the body home.
73Traveling reeve or magistrate, summoned to a case.
74A group of pilgrims, one of which is carrying a small, heavily bound chest.
75A backwoods moonshiner, offering free samples of his wares.
76A surveyor excited about discovering a door into an artificial hillock.
77A dripping wet fisherman, climbing up from a riverbank with an angry look.
78A girl picking wildflowers, acting as a lookout for local bandits.
79A boy swinging a stick like a sword, with a pet dog following.
80Villagers cutting wood to make bows.
81A stone golem with one leg shorter than the other, never walking in a straight line.
82A pixie telling rude jokes and riddles.
83Four villagers burning a pile of corpses, which are emitting a thick purple smoke.
84A wagoner trying to fix his strangely burned cart.
85A contented Halfling, smoking an oddly scented pipe.
86A wild-eyed and dishevelled Alchemist, ranting about a breakthrough.
87An imp caught in a rabbit trap, screeching loudly.
88A lost wagon guard, with scratches on his face.
89A seller of genuine, if minor, religious relics.
90An old gnome in hat and tattered clothes, rapidly shuffling a deck of cards.
91An ebullient Orc, dressed in bright fine silks.
92A Green Hag, offering a reward for revenge on those who tricked her.
93A wine merchant, asking for directions to the nearby town festival.
94A fur trapper, with a live wolverine as a pet.
95A sour old grandmother, complaining bitterly about her eldest son.
96A Hobgoblin out to see the world.
97A young man, with a hideous mask magically stuck to his face.
98A band of giant hunters, paid to kill a troublesome old Hill Giant.
99A charcoal burner, telling stories about haunted trees.
100A potion merchant, with a backpack full of ‘alternative’ potions.
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Rests

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Long Rest Complications

Roll the Dice
1Restless night. Do not gain any benefits from the long rest. roll to determine a party member which this happens to.
2A small rodent wanders through your camp. It seems to be begging you for food.
3A PC starts talking in their sleep. It wakes up another member of the party.
4You hear an owl hooting, but cannot spot its den nearby.
5A ghost appears and asks you for a favor.
6The guard of the camp starts to nod off. Roll CON to stay awake.
7You get really hungry. Tomorrow’s rations are looking delicious.
8You get wrapped up in your own thoughts, reflecting upon decisions made in your past.
9You hear a couple chatting and laughing as they walk by in the night.
10You spot some glowing mushrooms just outside of camp.
11A fire starts nearby. The Player can see an orange glow to the sky and embers permeating into the sky.
12Raccoons (or some other rodent) come in and eat all your rations. They also stooled in your favorite spare set of clothes.
13Random player gets stung by scorpion/wasp/mosquito for 1 damage.
14Camped out on a sink hole. Roll a d20. On a 17 or above, the sinkhole gives way. The sinkhole could lead to an abandoned mine or other facility. Could also be a simple hole.
15You smell something cooking. There is a nearby goblin camp and they are roasting a pig on a spit. They don’t notice the player unless they are particularly careless.
16The night has been particularly cold. There is a random small, sleeping creature wrapped up in the corner of one of the PC’s tents in order to stay warm and dry.
17A bird (Or other small animal) shows up at the camp and refuses to leave.
18Slept on a small rock, root or stick. Have a tender spot or sore back for 1d4 hours.
19Spider/scorpion/rodent crawled into a player’s boot. Do a perception check before putting boots on unless they knock the boots out first.
20A herd of (fill in random animal) rush toward the campsite. Clearly spooked by something nearby.
21A vicious storm begins to brew in the area. Raging winds and torrential rain begin to fall.
22A nearby fire flickers green for a moment, then subsides. Magic? Perhaps.
23Far off, very far off, someone screams in the night.
24Silence. Oppressive silence. Is that a good omen? You hope it is…
25A rumble of thunder. The sky is restless.
26Something lies in the dirt face down. Looks like it’s been there a while. Could be a book, or a shoe, or a bounty note … you decide.
27A predator (appropriate to environment) lurks nearby. It’s watching you intently.
28You wet the bed (no damage, you just smell awful the next day).
29A PC has a nightmare and wakes up screaming.
30A madman is heard nearby, jabbering: “He is angry, He demands me to please Him!”
31A sleeping party member has bad gas. roll CON or wake up annoyed.
32A small native animal approaches. If the PCs are kind to it, it reveals itself to be a wildshaped druid, and casts a beneficial spell. If they are unkind it reveals itself to be a druid and casts a detrimental spell. It then leaves.
33Everyone’s shoes are filled to the brim with dirt. All Party Members deny doing it.
34A pixie has replaced all your water with wine.
35A pack of wolves is heard howling at the moon nearby, a few minutes later they are heard much farther away.
36A brown bear (or a large creature native to the environment) walks into camp, trying to sniff out the player’s rations.
37A foraging party of chaotic evil bipedals (2 orcs for example) find your camp, but they see you on watch and decide that it would not be wise to try anything. They wander off. (maybe have the player at watch roll intimidation).
38You hear the sounds of a wounded animal in a trap. Roll a d20, if it crits then the animal is magical and intelligent and may offer compensation for its release. (can let it out or dine on it yourselves, can ignore it, can search for the hunter who placed the trap).
39Two cultists carrying a bonded sacrifice pass near enough to your camp that you may hear them. If freed, the sacrifice will run away immediately.
40A meteor lands nearby.
41A group of 1d4 wild boar attempt to eat all your food items. Player on watch can potentially lure them away.
42A solemn procession of hooded figures carrying lanterns pass nearby.
43You see a shooting star.
44The night has been particularly hot and humid, all PC’s that can sweat wake up sticky and smelly.
45The night has been particularly dry, you wake up with cracked, bleeding lips and a dry thirst.
46The night has been particularly wet, the PC’s clothes are now all sodden with cold mud.
47A small mammal absconds with [1d4] coins, or a mundane small object in the PCs possession.
48A cursory check shows the PCs’ waterskins have some gross looking growth in it, rendering the water within rancid and undrinkable.
49Another adventuring party’s camp has settled near by and you can hear their merry celebration over their last adventure. Could potentially trade goods with the nearby party.
50A friendly giant approaches your camp, asking for directions.
51In the morning, before leaving, you notice a valuable item is missing. Roll WIS to remember where you left it.
52Allergens are particularly bad this night, roll CON or wake up in a coughing, sneezing, red eyed fit. Disadvantage on perception for the following day.
53You receive a message through courier or Sending.
54A wizard teleports into your camp and he is very flustered. He will reward the PC’s if they assist him in some way.
55A puppy, looking to play, wakes the party in the night. A child comes to collect it in the morning and leaves a copper for the brave heroes.
56A threatening note is stabbed into a nearby tree with a peculiar knife.
57Kids are hiding nearby throwing pebbles into the camp.
58An insect falls into a players mouth while they sleep.
59A gemstone falls from the sky. What is it worth, you wonder? And where did it come from?
60A dragon flies overhead. It seems that it did not spot you. Lucky.
61An NPC explains you’re not allowed to camp here, and demands 2d4 silver from the party.
62The Sunrise is particularly beautiful. If a party member is on watch at the time, they gain inspiration.
63A single bard approaches the party and offers them some strong spirits and good stories in exchange for a nights company.
64A random PC catches a cold, disadvantage on ability checks for 4d6 hours.
65A large piece of fruit falls on [roll for party member’s head]. If their are no trees in site, the most likely culprit is a bird who dropped the fruit it was carrying (feel free to make a monty python joke). The source of the falling fruit could also be a child’s prank or something similar. You decide.
66There are tremors in the middle of the night. If camped out near structures, awake and make a Dex save or take damage from falling structures (the tremors wake them before the structure falls, no disadvantage). Similarly if camped in a forest then maybe a tree falls, make a dex saving throw.
67At the very edge of your vision, you think you see a unicorn passing through.
68You get a restful sleep and restore one additional hit die in the morning.
69A group of 1d4 bandits raid the camp at night, all PCs wake up and must defend themselves. However, right before combat begins a horn is blown and the bandits retreat. I wonder why?
70A traveling merchant appears when the party wakes up (sells any useful adventuring supplies that the PC may have forgotten to purchase before leaving the city).
71One of the PCs has a lucid dream, the dream begins with the PC waking up in the party’s camp and having an urge to wander off. This dream may offer insight into what challenge the party will face, it could also just be nonsense dictated by the PC who has control in the lucid dream. He/she wakes up at the DM’s discretion.
72A witch casts sleep on the PC on watch. She leaves a mysterious bottle of liquid on the ground and leaves. the liquid is magically made to look extremely enticing, but have a detrimental effect upon being drunk.
73Lightning strikes a nearby graveyard (1d8 zombies begin to wander within it).
74Your PCs share tales of their homelands or valiant deeds (perhaps embellishing to a degree) – perhaps someone reveals a major background point – inspiration for whichever PC did the best (subjective) job roleplaying.
75Over the course of several hours dozens of large predators begin to gather at the edges of the camp, they aren’t hostile but they bar you from leaving. Eventually a druid appears and demands to know why you desecrated a previous location.
76You meet a group of adventurers coming the other way. They are friendly and share information. In the morning both groups discover an item of value seems to be missing from their belongings. A mischievous NPC is likely at work here.
77The night was excessively cold. As a result of the frost, it will take 1 complete action to unsheath weapons using scabbards for 1d8 hours.
78A random pc accidentally slept on a poisonous plant (appropriate to the environment) and now has a rash for 1d4 hours.
79While packing up, a bird (or bat) does his business on (Random pc) in plain sight of everyone.
80As your party awakens (party member with highest passive perception) sees a glimmer beneath a tree. Upon further inspection he/she finds a skeletal hand clutching 1d4 electrum coins + 5d10 silver pieces.
81Random PC awakes to find a trinket beneath their backpack (roll from trinket list).
82You can hear very distant and faint music.
83It is a full moon (DM can initiate something based on this or just leave it like nothing happened).
84Some mischievous Fey/Sprite has managed to somehow extend your slumber. You over-sleep by 2d4 hours.
85A mysterious stranger comes to the camp and asks to stay the night. Leaves a gilded box of fine tobacco/tea/coffee beans/hard candies when they leave at dawn.
86A snake is found coiled near the camp. If approached it slithers quickly away leaving a nest of 2d4+2 red eggs. They act as a healing potion if added to food.
87A player accidentally slept on top of their arm. That player has -2 to dex rolls for 1d4 hours in the morning.
88A stranger approaches the campsite, making no effort of stealth. They are kind and will comply if the awake PC asks them to remove their weapons. They reveal themselves to be a vampire, in dire need of blood. They ask for a donation, but will walk away disappointed if the player refuses.
89A group of priests walks past your camp offering their blessing and prayers for a night at your fire.
90A dense fog rolls in and persists through the early morning (disadvantage on perception for 1d4 hours).
91A PC won’t stop snoring. Other players roll CON or are woken up and cannot get back to sleep due to the snoring. Disadvantage on ability checks for 1d4 hours in the morning.
92The fire dies out. It is pitch dark. (get more wood? perhaps leads to something interesting happening, you could reroll on this table to determine what happens while you search for firewood).
93Crickets chirp incessantly. Their chirping reminds you of an old song you once heard. That song gets stuck in your head.
94During the middle of the rest, a strange goblin approaches the camp. He is looking for directions to the nearest city. If helped, players can find him in the city to which they pointed him off to. He might even give them a reward.
95A neglected and beaten mule will wake the party up with it’s pained bleating. Deal with it, and you can go back to sleep.
96You find a pseudo-dragon rummaging around the groups treasury, if questioned he’ll claim to be a real dragon cursed with being very, very small.
97Succubus appears to the player, and offers a great time with no strings attached. If the player agrees, she gleefully pulls out a chessboard and asks if they want to be the white or black pieces.
98You hear a cry from nearby. Upon investigation you find a 1 year old child whose parents were killed by an owlbear (or another environment appropriate creature). The child is hungry and cold.
99A player dreams of eating some delicious chicken, only to be awoken by a chicken sitting on them.
100The party has a group dream and the artifact they acquired in it appears when they wake up. A demon is having a little fun. The artifact is likely cursed in some way, you decide…
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