Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Lost in the Dense Forests South of Denethix.

The forest South of Denethix and towards the sea, covers the entire area between Mt. Rendon and the Livid Fens.  It hols several attractions to adventurers including the fabled Molybdenum Tombs, infested with crystal jaguars, The Obelisk of Forgotten Memory and the Tomb of the Rocketmen.  The area also contains the towers, fortresses and complexes of several wizards and is a rich zone for the recovery of ancient artifacts and smaller ruins dating back to the centuries before the collapse.  The below table list random items and locations discovered while wandering this trackless tangle of brambles and ominous black barked pines. 

Perhaps these are useful for on the fly hex socking, or roll one every few hours of travel to give the forest a bit of life perhaps. This table is not a substitute for random encounters.



D20
Among the Tangled Forests South West of Denethix
1
Fairy ring of ancient stumps covered in strange red mushrooms.  Mushrooms are 30% deadly poison, 30% harmless but a bit woody, 30% Will induce cursed slumber for 1D8 years, 10% Home to a tribe (2D12+6) of tiny magic using, mosquito like sprites with a penchant for murderous traps and drinking blood.
2
A smouldering campfire, 50% surrounded by a few empty liquor bottles.
3
Fence of 1D20 ancient skulls on posts or set into stone pillars.
4
Blackened and overgrown ruins of ancient war machine. Twisted metal may be valuable (20% 1 GP per lb) to a weapon smith.
5
Garden of overgrown topiary animals and duckweed clogged fountain, turned monstrous by years of neglect.
6
A simple white capsule tomb of the ancients thrust from the earth.  50% contains a pile of dusty bones in a synthetic jumpsuit, 20% preserved alien corpse, 10% No body, but a sack of gold bars (600 GP), 10% Within is a body untouched and radiating light (save vs. poison if investigated or suffer -1 CON from radiation sickness), 10% hungry space vampire.
7
A procession of blanked common forest creatures (all kinds) moving with eerie silence.
8
Crumbled ruins of a white ceramicrete, the few standing walls crumble to dust if squeezed
9
Rotting totems, caved onto a series of poles or tree trunks.  Soemthing glints atop the tallest (60’ of rotting crumbling wood).  40% worthless bits of metal,  40% A few old coins (1D20 GP worth) , 20% a large crystal (worth 1D4x100 GP).
10
Ruins of a needle-like ceramic tower, snapped off at just below tree height.
11
Dead tree heaped with offal crammed with goblin 2D6 goblin spawning sacks.  If undisturbed and observed for more than a turn there is a 50% chance one will hatch an adult goblin (80%) or a bugbear (20%).  The impressionable creature will imprint on the first humanoid it sees. 
12
Clear, sweet spring, brimming with life.  A long drink from the stream will heal 1 HP once per PC per week.
13
Forest goblin huts hanging, nest like, between trees.  (30% occupied by goblins, 20% occupied by goblins and bugbears).
14
A clearing of wildflowers and butterflies. Random encounters twice as common +1 reaction bonus.
15
A place of towering dead trees, some have odd sigils scratched into the bark, an acrid reek fills the air.
16
A rustic but ruined log cabin.  50% Long empty, 20% Signs of recent massacre 10%, 200 GP buried in pot under hearth, 10% Ghostly, only present at night, 10% Travels on (concealed when at rest) giant robotic chicken legs during night and will move 1D4 al hexes in a random direction.
17
A long inactive and decayed robot, crucified and daubed with strange symbols.
18
Clear reservoir filling an ancient alloy cube, a few rocks on the bottom, but no signs of life.  Ancient acids have seeped into the water.  Organic objects touching the water will melt and deform. Bathing in the water is lethal (3D6 damage per round).  Touching or tasting the water does 1D6 damage and may cause deformities (Save v. Spells or partially melt, losing 1D4 Charisma).
19
The crumbled marble of a plantation house.  The mosaics of the large sauna are partially visible under the loam, depicting men and Sasquatch enjoying a decadent picnic and sport.
20
A monumental statute, fallen on it's face, the black metal is pitted and encrusted but it appears to represent a soldier raising a rifle or spear.

6 comments:

  1. I really like this, especially as something to layer over hazards and monster lairs.

    Wilderness dressing, basically.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love colour in encounter tables, especially it helps disguise the monster or threat encounters

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Scrap & Brendan - I see this sort of table (though it has some potential encounters) as something where I on it every day or so when a random encounter doesn't come up. Sort of a "Well it's a tough day of travel through the forest, and at about (roll roll) 2 PM you discover (roll roll)

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is very handy and very timely Gus. I especially like the crucified robot. My players are in this forest right now and if they make it through the rest of the Obelisk of Forgotten Memory (it was looking grim last session) they still need to get back out of the forest, and now I've got this. Double Plus Neato.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Give me an update if they make it? Also I really hope your party avoids any potential space vampire encounters.

      Delete
    2. Well some of them are making it. One player has lost two characters so far, one fell down the ladder (stupid) and his replacement was killed by fleas. Another killed by fleas, two nearly killed by fleas (they made their saves vs death but are now both disfigured due to falling stacks of bones), two nearly killed by a ghoul (later killed by fleas) and a near TPK by ghouls (they attacked the house). I fear they are starting to hate me.

      As for space vampires, well they are totally expecting that already due to my descriptions of Lugosi where they are based. If they make it back in time for the Festival of Fangs then maybe Gorpo, cousin of Torpo will show up. Who knows for sure. I'm guessing Torpo was some sort of space vampire.

      Ten sessions now and they're still first level, sigh, I fear they are really starting to hate me!

      On the plus side, they did find the tomb of the rocketmen when they finished the fleas, so two of them are happy.

      Delete