What is Random Encounter Monday? Well, it is where I take a randomly generated combination of monsters and write a suitable encounter as a design challenge!
What challenge are we throwing at a 8th level party this week?
Sounds like a joke, but what do you get when you encounter two illusionist and a elephant?
I'm beyond proud of myself for nicknaming the elephant "In the Room", but we have a pair of sneaky illusionist twins who use their identical nature to confuse all those who encounter them. To increase the tension, I focused on this not being a combat encounter but instead a chase. The illusionists are trying to escape from the characters, using every trick in their spellbook to do so. I'm looking forward to hearing some suggestions to keep the encounter dynamic!
An Illusory Wager Two illusionists and con artists, Alla (chaotic neutral, she/her, high elf) and Dronith (neutral, he/him, tiefling), have been running their show for almost a year. After their circus was burnt down when a dragon escaped, they were bankrupt and in desperate need of money. Alla and Dronith had been planning to get married, but Alla's father would disown her if she married a broke man. In despair, the two turned to crime, using their illusion magic and their only remaining circus animal, an elephant named Trotuk, as a basis for their crimes.
Alla uses major image on Trotuk to make him appear as a common housecat, while Dronith uses disguise self to blend in with the crowd at their performances. Alla bets the first challenger a large amount of money that they won't be able to move the cat. After that, she takes betting on the other contestants. Finally, Dronith attempts, in disguise, and Alla uses a special hand signal to get the elephant to move. While they've cheated a lot of money from people with their scams, the couple's profit has still been far too low for their marriage to be approved.
If the party watches Alla, with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check they can tell that she seems certain that every contestant will fail. If a player tries to move the elephant themselves, they can tell that it isn't a cat with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A successful DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check allows the player to move Trotuk, dispersing the illusion. If none of these checks are attempted or successful, Alla's hand signal can be noticed with a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
If confronted about the scam, Alla and Dronith deny all accusations, only resorting to combat if their deceptions are revealed. If the disguise self on Dronith or the major image on Trotuk fails, Alla and Dronith flee while slinging spells back at the party, while Trotuk stomps wildly towards the terrified crowd (each using the commoner statistics). If Alla and Dronith are reduced to 19 HP or fewer, or one of them is knocked unconscious, they surrender and plead with the party not to hurt them, telling them of the situation between them. If either of them dies, the other attacks the party and fights to the death against their beloved's murderer.
While Trotuk rages wildly if the illusion drops, he can be calmed with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
If Alla or Dronith are searched or surrender, they each give up their spellbooks and arcane foci. Alla also has a wand of enemy detection that she inherited from her more wealthy parents.
What can be done to help Alla and Dronith achieve a law-abiding and happy ending? And why do such little things as wealth or inheritance determine what makes a hero or a villain?
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
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What is Random Encounter Monday?
Well, it is where I take a randomly generated combination of monsters and write a suitable encounter as a design challenge!
What challenge are we throwing at a 8th level party this week?
Sounds like a joke, but what do you get when you encounter two illusionist and a elephant?
I'm beyond proud of myself for nicknaming the elephant "In the Room", but we have a pair of sneaky illusionist twins who use their identical nature to confuse all those who encounter them. To increase the tension, I focused on this not being a combat encounter but instead a chase. The illusionists are trying to escape from the characters, using every trick in their spellbook to do so. I'm looking forward to hearing some suggestions to keep the encounter dynamic!
Here is my submission: Seeing Double
Post your thoughts, ideas, and encounters below!
An Illusory Wager
Two illusionists and con artists, Alla (chaotic neutral, she/her, high elf) and Dronith (neutral, he/him, tiefling), have been running their show for almost a year. After their circus was burnt down when a dragon escaped, they were bankrupt and in desperate need of money. Alla and Dronith had been planning to get married, but Alla's father would disown her if she married a broke man. In despair, the two turned to crime, using their illusion magic and their only remaining circus animal, an elephant named Trotuk, as a basis for their crimes.
Alla uses major image on Trotuk to make him appear as a common housecat, while Dronith uses disguise self to blend in with the crowd at their performances. Alla bets the first challenger a large amount of money that they won't be able to move the cat. After that, she takes betting on the other contestants. Finally, Dronith attempts, in disguise, and Alla uses a special hand signal to get the elephant to move. While they've cheated a lot of money from people with their scams, the couple's profit has still been far too low for their marriage to be approved.
If the party watches Alla, with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check they can tell that she seems certain that every contestant will fail. If a player tries to move the elephant themselves, they can tell that it isn't a cat with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A successful DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check allows the player to move Trotuk, dispersing the illusion. If none of these checks are attempted or successful, Alla's hand signal can be noticed with a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
If confronted about the scam, Alla and Dronith deny all accusations, only resorting to combat if their deceptions are revealed. If the disguise self on Dronith or the major image on Trotuk fails, Alla and Dronith flee while slinging spells back at the party, while Trotuk stomps wildly towards the terrified crowd (each using the commoner statistics). If Alla and Dronith are reduced to 19 HP or fewer, or one of them is knocked unconscious, they surrender and plead with the party not to hurt them, telling them of the situation between them. If either of them dies, the other attacks the party and fights to the death against their beloved's murderer.
While Trotuk rages wildly if the illusion drops, he can be calmed with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
If Alla or Dronith are searched or surrender, they each give up their spellbooks and arcane foci. Alla also has a wand of enemy detection that she inherited from her more wealthy parents.
What can be done to help Alla and Dronith achieve a law-abiding and happy ending? And why do such little things as wealth or inheritance determine what makes a hero or a villain?
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
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Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
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If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.