Hi All, I'm starting a new campaign shortly and we're picking up as the players are traveling to the starting location is part of a large caravan. I already have a few ideas of encounters they may face on the road, but I wanted to see what else everyone else had. It would be nice to have a few more ideas for non-combat encounters too.
Some of mine include:
Unseasonable storm strikes, requiring them to secure the caravan etc,
Bandits trying to ambush with the good ol' log on the road,
Harpy/Siren trying to lead caravan members away while getting water,
Spies trying to get in during the night and trying to steal/tamper with the cargo.
The caravan stops for the night and some of the hunting party notes spotting some valuable herbs growing near a series of caves. They only managed to grab a handful before strange insect monsters emerged and chased them away. The head merchant thinks harvesting more would be worth it and asks the party to enter the caves and run interference while the plants are taken.
My DM once had a cat sitting at a crossroads. That was it. Mundane cat, just sitting there. We spent a good 30 minutes looking for the trap or the magic or what it was. There was nothing, just a cat. It’s the kind of thing that can keep players guessing. They never know if the next time it’s a shape changed pit fiend, or just a cat.
Mine was a moose in the woods though. Since they could hear it a little ways off they never once thought to try to track it. It was everything from a giant to a troll to Sasquatch. Until they got to close and it turned and charged them out of the trees and underbrush. They just stood there with swords out staring at it until it turned and left. Then they thought about taking it for food.
Mine was a moose in the woods though. Since they could hear it a little ways off they never once thought to try to track it. It was everything from a giant to a troll to Sasquatch. Until they got to close and it turned and charged them out of the trees and underbrush. They just stood there with swords out staring at it until it turned and left. Then they thought about taking it for food.
My DM once had a cat sitting at a crossroads. That was it. Mundane cat, just sitting there. We spent a good 30 minutes looking for the trap or the magic or what it was. There was nothing, just a cat. It’s the kind of thing that can keep players guessing. They never know if the next time it’s a shape changed pit fiend, or just a cat.
these are hilaroius. when i think caravan, i think desert, so that's what my idea works for.
a roadsign pointing to a location called pazar. the arrow on the roadsign was made to move.
a lamp partially buried in the sand. NOT a genie lamp, but, like a modern lamp you would find at goodwill. drive your players insane
a recently dead large-sized crab
a giant footprint
a strange symbol drawn into the sand
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Pronouns: Any/All
About Me: Godless monster in human form bent on extending their natural life to unnatural extremes /general of the goose horde /Moderator of Vinstreb School for the Gifted /holder of the evil storyteller badge of no honor /king of madness /The FBI/ The Archmage of I CAST...!
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Fun Fact: i gain more power the more you post on my forum threads. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Hi All, I'm starting a new campaign shortly and we're picking up as the players are traveling to the starting location is part of a large caravan. I already have a few ideas of encounters they may face on the road, but I wanted to see what else everyone else had. It would be nice to have a few more ideas for non-combat encounters too.
Some of mine include:
The caravan stops for the night and some of the hunting party notes spotting some valuable herbs growing near a series of caves. They only managed to grab a handful before strange insect monsters emerged and chased them away. The head merchant thinks harvesting more would be worth it and asks the party to enter the caves and run interference while the plants are taken.
My DM once had a cat sitting at a crossroads. That was it. Mundane cat, just sitting there. We spent a good 30 minutes looking for the trap or the magic or what it was. There was nothing, just a cat.
It’s the kind of thing that can keep players guessing. They never know if the next time it’s a shape changed pit fiend, or just a cat.
I did something like that with a party once.
Mine was a moose in the woods though. Since they could hear it a little ways off they never once thought to try to track it. It was everything from a giant to a troll to Sasquatch.
Until they got to close and it turned and charged them out of the trees and underbrush. They just stood there with swords out staring at it until it turned and left. Then they thought about taking it for food.
Best fight they never had.
these are hilaroius. when i think caravan, i think desert, so that's what my idea works for.
a roadsign pointing to a location called pazar. the arrow on the roadsign was made to move.
a lamp partially buried in the sand. NOT a genie lamp, but, like a modern lamp you would find at goodwill. drive your players insane
a recently dead large-sized crab
a giant footprint
a strange symbol drawn into the sand
Pronouns: Any/All
About Me: Godless monster in human form bent on extending their natural life to unnatural extremes /general of the goose horde /Moderator of Vinstreb School for the Gifted /holder of the evil storyteller badge of no honor /king of madness /The FBI/ The Archmage of I CAST...!
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Fun Fact: i gain more power the more you post on my forum threads. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
I have looked for inspiration on this exact thing before. And in my research, I found this handy website.
100 roadside encounters.
Feel free to pick through it and grab as many as you like and change them up to suit your needs.
"Not all those who wander are lost"