Random Encounters in Tree Layers
Here I will write every little idea I have for things that would be too short for full-blown stories/roleplaying adventures in the world of The Call of The Tree.
Some of them are just one-shot encounters, some may be the starting points for the bigger stories/quest lines.
In some places the heaps of scrap are so close, they have to squeeze through them, risking wounding themselves. They start hearing humming coming from multiple creatures.
At some point, they reach an open area, where multiple Redcaps walk around in their calm state.
If any of the characters got wounded on the way here, Redcaps smell their blood, which can result in battle (not recommended) or pursuit.
If no one got hurt, they still have to leave the area by walking near the scrap (last chance for them to get a scratch).
It could be escaping from the raiders or just traversing the land.
If no attack happened, characters can approach the caravan and trade.
They'll be surprised how many useful items they can get (if they helped the caravan, the prices aren't even that high).
After the successful exchange, the caravan master could try to hire them as an additional guard for the journey, as lately the road isn't that safe.
The man asks them for the help.
In his visions, he saw that the settlement, the one they are closest to, will be attacked and consumed by something powerful.
He already has prepared protective charms, he only needs help with placing them around the settlement, as alone he would never make it before the attack.
The characters encounter small food stall that gives them an opportunity to eat and rest for a short while, maybe even exchange stories or rumors with other clients/owner of the food stall.
If characters make too much noise and don't recognize the grave danger surrounding them, they are at the risk of being killed by the plants.
Maybe they are all walking on their knees in line or maybe they are laughing, dancing and singing religious songs.
In the first case, they ignore the characters and the guards accompanying them ask politely to leave and explain the reason and destination of the journey if any of the characters would like to join.
In the second case, happy pilgrims ask characters to join them for a while to play, dance and eat.
If they like the characters very much they could ask for protection or the common journey to their destination.
Soldiers could ask them for the reason for their journey, invite them to their camp for food, ask them for some cigarettes, or they just want to talk.
They could also ask to check the characters for contraband/stolen goods, as there are smugglers/thieves working in the area.
It could be the storm, sandstorm, hail, weather Anomaly or elemental leak.
Whatever it is, characters need to find cover and wait it out.
However, whenever they try to look directly at the stalker, the creature disappears.
Additionally, no one else from the party sees the thing following them.
Is it a mirage? Something that hunts them? Or maybe it just wants to observe them?
A mysterious man in the top hat asks them politely if he could bury the bodies of the deceased.
If they stick around, they can see him pulling the shovel out of the small cart he travels with.
He will then proceed to dig graves and burying the dead while humming some sad tune.
If someone offers their help to him, he will politely refuse.
After his job is done, he will pack his things, thank the characters, and go his way.
They show their tools and ask the characters if they could repair their equipment.
While working, they may exchange stories with characters or evaluate the state of their equipment.
They need to get out of there as fast as possible.
While they go towards it, they see someone, who could be the culprit.
They can decide to catch the possible suspect or help with putting out the fire and saving the people.
When characters get close to it, the guard stops them and asks them to pay the toll and to not make any sudden movements.
The only way to go further is to hold the breath and swim.
Through one of the entrances bursts Wildfire, a girl possessed (Possession) by the spirit of fire.
She falls in love with the first person she sees, as is normal for her.
And as is normal for her, she wants to give her lover the gift of being burned alive from inside.
If she succeeds, she will fall in love with another person/victim.
If characters know her taboo, they could try to stop her, otherwise, the escape is the only advised way of dealing with her.
One of the members could ask the characters for the prayer for the soul of the deceased or to hold a minute of silence.
They pass slowly, and the sounds of sobbing, prayers, and footsteps move farther away with them.
The man introduces himself as a "seller of things that could help in travels" and starts showing them his merchandise.
Very quickly one of the characters recognizes part of the "merchandise" as something that has been stolen from them during their stay in the settlement.
They could catch him, beat him or try to spy him to discover the network of thieves and traders working in the city.
They only need a quick check to notice that the body is pretty fresh, so the one who mangled them so badly is probably still in the area.
Is it a creature? A gang? A cult?
He coughs, wheezes and grunts.
Through the glass of his suit, characters can see that he is covered in some weird rash and that he lost half of his hair.
He will ask characters to stay away from him as he is infected with some nasty germs, and he just wants to find a place where he can die.
He will also warn them to go walk around with a wide arch one of the settlements, as some time ago, mysterious epidemy has erupted there.
If they decide to follow them, they'll meet a wounded warrior, slowly bleeding out.
After some first aid, he will tell them, that the thing that did it to him is still around.
He will also ask them to help him with killing that being as it will be a danger for any future travelers taking that road.
The Tram passes them at a neck-breaking speed. For the second it does so, characters can see some large creature attached to it and people screaming inside.
A moment later, the Tram disappears behind the corner and they can hear the loud noise of the crash.
They can run towards it to try to save the passengers and to stop the beast that attacked the vehicle.
They will soon learn that it is one of the creatures living in the Depot.
But what does it do here, so far away from its home? Maybe one of the saved people will know.
If asked what he is doing, he will say he is going to the market to sell his crops.
If the characters help him in any way, he will offer some additional vegetables as a thank you and he will share his stories with them.
Some of them are just one-shot encounters, some may be the starting points for the bigger stories/quest lines.
1. Redcaps
Danger level: 0/5 (when nobody gets hurt), 2/5 (in case of pursuit), 4/5 (in case of battle) While traveling to their destination point, the characters come across an area filled with metal scrap.In some places the heaps of scrap are so close, they have to squeeze through them, risking wounding themselves. They start hearing humming coming from multiple creatures.
At some point, they reach an open area, where multiple Redcaps walk around in their calm state.
If any of the characters got wounded on the way here, Redcaps smell their blood, which can result in battle (not recommended) or pursuit.
If no one got hurt, they still have to leave the area by walking near the scrap (last chance for them to get a scratch).
2. Caravan
Danger level: 0/5 or 2/5 (if the caravan is attacked or asks for escort) On the major road between two cities, characters spot moving caravan.It could be escaping from the raiders or just traversing the land.
If no attack happened, characters can approach the caravan and trade.
They'll be surprised how many useful items they can get (if they helped the caravan, the prices aren't even that high).
After the successful exchange, the caravan master could try to hire them as an additional guard for the journey, as lately the road isn't that safe.
3. The Prophet
Danger level: 0/5-1/5 Near one of the settlements, characters meet a man who calls himself Prophet.The man asks them for the help.
In his visions, he saw that the settlement, the one they are closest to, will be attacked and consumed by something powerful.
He already has prepared protective charms, he only needs help with placing them around the settlement, as alone he would never make it before the attack.
4. Food Cart
Danger level: 0/5 It can happen in the middle of the city or somewhere in the "wilderness".The characters encounter small food stall that gives them an opportunity to eat and rest for a short while, maybe even exchange stories or rumors with other clients/owner of the food stall.
5. Sound Stranglers
Danger level: 3/5-4/5 The floor gives in under the weight of one of the characters and they fall into the pit full of Sound Stranglers, vines that rapidly grow in the direction of any sound made.If characters make too much noise and don't recognize the grave danger surrounding them, they are at the risk of being killed by the plants.
6. The pilgrimage
Danger level: 0/5 While on the road, characters spot a large group of people.Maybe they are all walking on their knees in line or maybe they are laughing, dancing and singing religious songs.
In the first case, they ignore the characters and the guards accompanying them ask politely to leave and explain the reason and destination of the journey if any of the characters would like to join.
In the second case, happy pilgrims ask characters to join them for a while to play, dance and eat.
If they like the characters very much they could ask for protection or the common journey to their destination.
7. Soldier patrol
Danger level 0/5-1/5 Near one of the settlements, characters are approached by soldiers patrolling the area.Soldiers could ask them for the reason for their journey, invite them to their camp for food, ask them for some cigarettes, or they just want to talk.
They could also ask to check the characters for contraband/stolen goods, as there are smugglers/thieves working in the area.
8. Weather
Danger level 0/5-1/5 Suddenly, the weather in the area takes the dramatic turn for the worse.It could be the storm, sandstorm, hail, weather Anomaly or elemental leak.
Whatever it is, characters need to find cover and wait it out.
9. Tremors
Danger level: 1/5-2/5 The earth begins to shake and now characters need to find the cover as the streets tear apart, glass shatters and rubble starts to fall from the higher layer.10. Stalker
Danger level: 0/5 While traveling, one of the characters notices that something stalks them.However, whenever they try to look directly at the stalker, the creature disappears.
Additionally, no one else from the party sees the thing following them.
Is it a mirage? Something that hunts them? Or maybe it just wants to observe them?
11. Gravedigger
Danger level: 0/5 Few minutes after the fight where someone died, if the characters are still there, they are approached by the man, who calls himself Gravedigger.A mysterious man in the top hat asks them politely if he could bury the bodies of the deceased.
If they stick around, they can see him pulling the shovel out of the small cart he travels with.
He will then proceed to dig graves and burying the dead while humming some sad tune.
If someone offers their help to him, he will politely refuse.
After his job is done, he will pack his things, thank the characters, and go his way.
12. Wandering gunsmith/tailor/blacksmith
Danger level: 0/5 While traveling, characters are approached by the wanderer.They show their tools and ask the characters if they could repair their equipment.
While working, they may exchange stories with characters or evaluate the state of their equipment.
13. Collapsing building
Danger level: 4/5 The building the characters are in, or one in their close proximity, starts collapsing.They need to get out of there as fast as possible.
14. The settlement is on fire
Danger level: 3/5 The settlement characters were traveling to is burning.While they go towards it, they see someone, who could be the culprit.
They can decide to catch the possible suspect or help with putting out the fire and saving the people.
15. Pay the toll
Danger level: 0/5-3/5 The only way forward is the heavily guarded bridge.When characters get close to it, the guard stops them and asks them to pay the toll and to not make any sudden movements.
16. Flooded tunnel
Danger level: 3/5 The part of the tunnel characters need to traverse was flooded some time ago.The only way to go further is to hold the breath and swim.
17. Wildfire
Danger level: 4/5-5/5 The place the characters are staying in for the night suddenly catches on fire.Through one of the entrances bursts Wildfire, a girl possessed (Possession) by the spirit of fire.
She falls in love with the first person she sees, as is normal for her.
And as is normal for her, she wants to give her lover the gift of being burned alive from inside.
If she succeeds, she will fall in love with another person/victim.
If characters know her taboo, they could try to stop her, otherwise, the escape is the only advised way of dealing with her.
18. Funeral procession
Danger level: 0/5 A funeral procession heads towards the burial grounds.One of the members could ask the characters for the prayer for the soul of the deceased or to hold a minute of silence.
They pass slowly, and the sounds of sobbing, prayers, and footsteps move farther away with them.
19. Little, obtrusive kid
Danger level: 0/5 While in one of the settlements, a little kid clings to one of the characters and wants to sell them some junk. The worst part is, he won't leave until they buy his "merchandise", and even if they do, he'll return in a few moments with something new to sell them.20. Thief
Danger level: 1/5-2/5 While in one of the settlements, characters are approached by the shady guy.The man introduces himself as a "seller of things that could help in travels" and starts showing them his merchandise.
Very quickly one of the characters recognizes part of the "merchandise" as something that has been stolen from them during their stay in the settlement.
They could catch him, beat him or try to spy him to discover the network of thieves and traders working in the city.
21. Mutilated corpse
Danger level: 1/5-4/5 During their travel, characters come across the body that has been badly mutilated.They only need a quick check to notice that the body is pretty fresh, so the one who mangled them so badly is probably still in the area.
Is it a creature? A gang? A cult?
22. The living dead
Danger level: 0/5 Characters encounter a man in a biohazard suit.He coughs, wheezes and grunts.
Through the glass of his suit, characters can see that he is covered in some weird rash and that he lost half of his hair.
He will ask characters to stay away from him as he is infected with some nasty germs, and he just wants to find a place where he can die.
He will also warn them to go walk around with a wide arch one of the settlements, as some time ago, mysterious epidemy has erupted there.
23. Aurora borealis
Danger level: 0/5 During one of the nights, when characters set out a camp, dancing lights show up in the sky.24. Wounded warrior
Danger level: 2/5 While on the road, characters notice fresh bloodstains leading offroad.If they decide to follow them, they'll meet a wounded warrior, slowly bleeding out.
After some first aid, he will tell them, that the thing that did it to him is still around.
He will also ask them to help him with killing that being as it will be a danger for any future travelers taking that road.
25. The crash of the Tram
Danger level: 3/5-? While traveling near one of The Tram Lines, characters hear the sound of the coming vehicle.The Tram passes them at a neck-breaking speed. For the second it does so, characters can see some large creature attached to it and people screaming inside.
A moment later, the Tram disappears behind the corner and they can hear the loud noise of the crash.
They can run towards it to try to save the passengers and to stop the beast that attacked the vehicle.
They will soon learn that it is one of the creatures living in the Depot.
But what does it do here, so far away from its home? Maybe one of the saved people will know.
26. Old Farmer
Danger level: 0/5 While traveling between the settlements pretty early, near one of them, characters encounter old farmer who is pushing the cart filled with vegetables. He will ask the characters if they could help him push the cart or if they want to buy some vegetables as it would make his job easier.If asked what he is doing, he will say he is going to the market to sell his crops.
If the characters help him in any way, he will offer some additional vegetables as a thank you and he will share his stories with them.
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