I'm a new DM and just ran my first game. My setting features "wild" elves that live deep in the forest and live a tribal existence. Their culture features shamans, ancestor worship and primitive herbal-based magic. For mysterious reasons, these tribes locate themselves near ancient crystalline stones that are actually the monuments of a higher elven culture.
So I have the bigger picture in my head, butt I'm struggling to think up the gritty details - what might be in a tribal village, and what kind of loot could my players find in one? Any ideas or resources that I could use?
For loot, I have:
an elixir held in a (wooden vial?) , made from mosses and herbs. This could be a healing potion, or something else?
pelts/hides or teeth of a panther, bear, giant wolf. I guess it could fetch a price in town?
A gigantic skull of an unknown monster, pointing to a future adventure
Jewelry made from chips of the ancient stone
A carved shortbow with delicately fletched arrows (mechanically - +1 to hit)
A spear carved with wood from an ancient tree and crystalline point
For general camp flavor, I'm at a loss. What interesting things might be in a wild elf camp, what crops would they grow, what beasts would they keep?
I know it sounds like I may have answered my own question, but any suggestions/pointers are really helpful!
Keep in mind that loot is extra, not necessary. Could be these elves don’t have much the party would consider valuable loot. That’s ok. This edition isn’t as loot dependent as other ones. And if you really want, you can make it up and give them some extra stuff either before or after.
As far as general flavor, if it’s truly a camp, they wouldn’t likely be growing food, just hunting and gathering. If it’s a proper city, there might be agriculture, but I doubt it would be like we think of it. Might be more like they wait for a berry Bush to grow and then tend it well rather than planting neat rows of it. Same with beasts. I doubt they’d have much need for beasts of burden. Might have some mounts, but without plowing fields, there’s not much need for oxen to pull plows, for example.
Depending on the culture, they could either have some primitive arts and crafts, or more stereotypical elvish more with intricate patterns and delicate work. And I would say the could have gold and silver. Not in the form of coins maybe , but there could be art or other decorative uses. And depending on their contact with the outside world, they may have coins, recognizing they are valuable to outsiders and useful for trade.
I think you have your bases pretty well covered. I have only DMed a handful of sessions, but I feel like there is generally only 1-2 items of note to pull from any given encounter. My initial instinct is that players would be constantly trading weapons in and out like Diablo or Borderlands, but the game system isn’t really that granular.
are they fighting the elves, or do they just come across them? Some ceremonial ( and enchanted) items like sacrificial daggers, masks, and altars could be good. It also sounds like they would have straightforward mechanical traps around in the woods for defense and hunting, like snares, pit traps and dead falls. Is there a particular beast from the Monster manual that they like to hunt or have domesticated? Maybe they wear a lot of owl-bear cloaks or have pseudo dragons as pets.
Sounds like you have a great start and plenty to go with. One of the Dragon Age games, maybe Inquisitor, had a wild elf camp that I thought had a good flavor. I think I recall some crops and such. They could have horses, hunting dogs (or possibly large cats), goats, sheep, etc. For crops, it could be local flora, but if you want to get more exotic maybe a mushroom cave.
Hi everyone!
I'm a new DM and just ran my first game. My setting features "wild" elves that live deep in the forest and live a tribal existence. Their culture features shamans, ancestor worship and primitive herbal-based magic. For mysterious reasons, these tribes locate themselves near ancient crystalline stones that are actually the monuments of a higher elven culture.
So I have the bigger picture in my head, butt I'm struggling to think up the gritty details - what might be in a tribal village, and what kind of loot could my players find in one? Any ideas or resources that I could use?
For loot, I have:
For general camp flavor, I'm at a loss. What interesting things might be in a wild elf camp, what crops would they grow, what beasts would they keep?
I know it sounds like I may have answered my own question, but any suggestions/pointers are really helpful!
You have it pretty well spelled out. Perhaps watch some shows in Discovery. In a tribal village something like gold or silver would be unheard of.
Perhaps you could add some hand made rugs, pottery.
Keep in mind that loot is extra, not necessary. Could be these elves don’t have much the party would consider valuable loot. That’s ok. This edition isn’t as loot dependent as other ones.
And if you really want, you can make it up and give them some extra stuff either before or after.
As far as general flavor, if it’s truly a camp, they wouldn’t likely be growing food, just hunting and gathering. If it’s a proper city, there might be agriculture, but I doubt it would be like we think of it. Might be more like they wait for a berry Bush to grow and then tend it well rather than planting neat rows of it.
Same with beasts. I doubt they’d have much need for beasts of burden. Might have some mounts, but without plowing fields, there’s not much need for oxen to pull plows, for example.
Depending on the culture, they could either have some primitive arts and crafts, or more stereotypical elvish more with intricate patterns and delicate work.
And I would say the could have gold and silver. Not in the form of coins maybe , but there could be art or other decorative uses. And depending on their contact with the outside world, they may have coins, recognizing they are valuable to outsiders and useful for trade.
I think you have your bases pretty well covered. I have only DMed a handful of sessions, but I feel like there is generally only 1-2 items of note to pull from any given encounter. My initial instinct is that players would be constantly trading weapons in and out like Diablo or Borderlands, but the game system isn’t really that granular.
are they fighting the elves, or do they just come across them? Some ceremonial ( and enchanted) items like sacrificial daggers, masks, and altars could be good. It also sounds like they would have straightforward mechanical traps around in the woods for defense and hunting, like snares, pit traps and dead falls. Is there a particular beast from the Monster manual that they like to hunt or have domesticated? Maybe they wear a lot of owl-bear cloaks or have pseudo dragons as pets.
Sounds like you have a great start and plenty to go with. One of the Dragon Age games, maybe Inquisitor, had a wild elf camp that I thought had a good flavor. I think I recall some crops and such. They could have horses, hunting dogs (or possibly large cats), goats, sheep, etc. For crops, it could be local flora, but if you want to get more exotic maybe a mushroom cave.
Everyone is the main character of their story
These are all awesome, thanks!