“Even in an adventure driven by

events, an encounter unrelated to the

flow of the events can serve to emphasize (or
distract from) the ongoing plot.”
– Monte Cook,
Dungeon Master’s
Guide (3.5 Edition)

a dozen treacherous
encounters
by philip reed
The number of possible encounters that you may As always, it is my hope that the twelve encounters
access – either to expand into a larger scene or to use as described on the following pages spark your own cre-
inspiration for an encounter of your own design – grows ativity and lead to enjoyable game sessions that are un-
by twelve with this latest release in the A Dozen . . . se- like what any other GM could imagine. As a storyteller,
ries of PDFs. This time around, I’ve provided twelve en- it is your job during the session to entertain the players,
counters you can draw from that each include combat and only you know best how to adapt published game
and non-combat options. concepts to fit the tastes of your group.

A Dozen Treacherous Encounters © 2020 Philip Reed, all rights reserved.

Artwork by fantasy-stockart.com, used under license.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 1
 anatomy 1
of an 2
encounter 4
1. A title, to help set the mood.

2. An opening block of text that may be used

as read aloud text when using the encoun-
ter during your game session. Or, if you
prefer, text that you will rework to better
suit your personal style.

3. Each encounter includes a single illustra-

tion to help set the mood.

4. The encounter description, which is

freeform and very open to interpretation.
My goal with each and every encounter
described within these pages is to provide
3
you, the GM, with an idea that you can ex-
pand to suit your campaign. Each includes
a combat and a non-combat option.

using the encounters

The important thing to remember about all of the en- Then, once you’ve got all of your thoughts in place, grab
counters that follow is that they are not fleshed out, a 3 x 5 index card – or open a note file on your phone
complete adventure locations and events. Every single or tablet – and string concepts together one piece at a
encounter includes just enough information to trigger time to form a sequence of events that take my ideas
your own imagination; it is my wish that as you read and, with work, make them your own.
through all these encounters, you find yourself over-
whelmed with ideas of your own. Each one is a snap- For example, the encounter shown above describes a
shot stolen from my own imagination . . . and now we skeleton that isn’t your usual undead monster. This par-
need for you to take these fragments and transform ticular skeleton isn’t what it appears, and only during
them into scenes that your players will never forget. the course of the encounter will the player characters
learn that something is different about this creature.
For additional inspiration when taking the encounter
ideas that follow and making them your own, I high- Each encounter is only useful once, though coming
ly recommend grabbing a scrap of paper or a journal back and reading any of these long after you have used
and writing down every idea that comes to mind as you them may trigger new ideas of your own.
read the words I’ve provided.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 2
encounter with evil
The drow warrior blocks your path and raises his arm, pointing directly at your party.
“For what reason do you enter this forest?” The drow takes one step toward you and
raises his weapon menacingly. “Tell me why you are here.”
Armored and ready for battle, the dark elf introduces The drow will fight to the death, but it will not fight alone.
himself as Crardon Khilrir and says that he is the de- The warrior only has to last 2d4+2 combat rounds, after
fender of this path. Only those with permission to be on which point 1d4+2 drow soldiers are teleported into
the path, the drow states, are allowed to pass. If pressed, the battle; Khilrir notifies the city of the intruders using
the drow says that permission must be granted by his a magic ring as soon as the PCs attack.
queen, the dark elf leader of the city that lies deep be-
neath this very spot. Non-Combat Encounter
If you hold back, and do not attack, and if you do not
Combat Encounter try to walk down the path, the drow warrior will discuss
If you refuse to turn back, and you do not have the per- local news, share what gossip he may have heard, and
mission of the drow queen, the warrior uses every skill, generally be as friendly as you can expect any dark elf to
spell, and weapon he possesses to prevent you from ever be. The drow will not help the adventurers, but he
continuing down the pathway. The drow is a skilled will direct them to a nearby town where they can find
fighter/mage and uses an unusual scythe when attack- shelter, food, and assistance. The drow city and nearby
ing. The elf may cast a handful of offensive spells, as se- human settlement have a truce and the two do all they
lected by the gamemaster. can to not come into conflict with each other.

“Drow trust no one, and nothing, and most are incapable of compassion, kindness,
or love. Many drow are actively murderous and delight in the giving of pain.”
– Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel, and Jeff Quick, Underdark
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 3
a twisted creation
Blood drips from the thing’s arm, a sickening pool of blood at its feet as it rises from a
crouching position to stand upright. It is short, no taller than a dwarf, except for the
odd skull that is secured to its mangy hair. All at once, the mass of skulls on its back
start chattering and speaking in strange, ancient tongues.

Whatever this thing is, it’s grotesque and disgusting. Non-Combat Encounter
The skull floating above its head speaks, as do those on If you do not attack the monster, it stops its advance
its back, but the words make no sense to any of your when it is within five or so feet of you at which point it
group and it appears that each of the skulls is speaking sits on the ground. After a few moments, the skulls on
in a different language. The thing’s eyes stare blankly at its back quiet down – they continue to speak in differ-
you, as if there is no life within its body. ent languages, but in a whisper – and the skull on the
monster’s head speaks in a louder voice, in a common
Combat Encounter tongue that you can all understand.
If you attack the monster, it slashes at you with clawed
hands. The monster is as strong as an orc and tries to “We are Nadan, eater of the dead and conduit to the Great
bite any who get too close to it. The skulls don’t stop God Tepeth Metus. Do you wish to speak to Tepeth Metus
speaking . . . unless they see a chance to bite down on and swear your loyalty to Him and all that He holds dear?”
an opponent. Do not get too close to this thing.
If you choose to speak to Tepeth Metus, an ancient god
After a few rounds of combat, if the thing still lives, then of death and disease, there is a 1% chance that you are
the skulls start chanting in unison. Their strange chant not driven insane from the direct contact with a god.
unleashes a spell that heals the monster to maximum Any PCs who possess knowledge of religion and the ar-
health and doubles its strength for 2d6 rounds. cane will warn others in the party to not ask to speak
with the god.
Whatever this thing is, it isn’t afraid to fight and will
continue to slash and bite at you and your companions If you refuse the chance to speak with Tepeth Metus, the
until you are all dead or you defeat it. If killed, the thing monster turns on you and attacks until it is dead. The
collapses in a mass of meat and lies unmoving. The thing will not run from the fight.
skulls die with it.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 4
the skeleton’s shield
“Hold your weapons, gentlefolk, for I mean you no ill and wish only
Within the dungeon, you and
to beg you for help.”
your companions bash through
one door that splinters inward The skeleton takes a step back, waiting to see how you will re-
in a shower of wood. The room is spond to its request for assistance.
empty, other than a skeleton that
stands tall and proud. It speaks. Combat Encounter
If you rush to attack, the skeleton raises its sword and shield to
defend itself. The skeleton continues to talk as you attack, doing
its best to deflect blows while not counter-striking. If you contin-
ue attacking, and do not pause, the skeleton engages in combat
after three rounds and will do all it can to defeat you without
killing you and your companions.

In battle, the skeleton is as powerful as the

party’s most experienced warrior. Its sword
inflicts double damage and its shield glows
bright blue each time that it is hit. If the
skeleton is reduced to half hit points, it un-
leashes its full prowess and fights to win.

The skeleton’s shield reduces all physical and

magical damage that hits the creature by
half, regardless of if the attack struck
the shield or not.

Non-Combat Encounter
If you stop to listen to the skeleton, it
thanks you and tells of how it was once
a human soldier, Andrej Hornicky, and the
actions of a wicked wizard changed him into
the monster you see today. The skeleton is
not truly an undead, but is an arcane creation
and the curse cannot be undone.

The skeleton asks that you help it to travel to a deeper level

of the dungeon where, the thing says, there is a furnace that
it wishes to visit. The skeleton’s goal is to throw itself, as well
as its gear, into the furnace so that it can be released from the
curse and its soul allowed to travel to the afterlife.

In reality, the skeleton wishes most to destroy the shield that it

carries, and it is willing to sacrifice itself to do this. The mag-
ic shield is what made the thing what it is today, and the
skeleton retains enough of its past memories to want
to wipe the shield from existence.

a dozen treacherous encounters • page 5

the dragon
and the storm
In the dark of night, you and your companions are forced from your makeshift camp
as the waters rise, flooding your chosen site. You decide to press on, the flashes of
lightning illuminating your path as you seek sheleter from the storm. As the thunder
crashes and lightning flashes, you spot an ominous silhouette on the rocky peaks.

The dragon’s lair was raided recently and it is now furi- The dragon doesn’t know who stole its treasures, but it
ous, unleashing its magic as a storm that is tearing up instantly decides that the PCs are the thieves who com-
the landscape and terrifying many of the animals in the mitted the sin of infilitrating its lair. The dragon will fight
affected area. The dragon has no idea who took its trea- to the death.
sures, so it is simply inflicting as much damage as pos-
sible in an effort to punish anything within range of its Non-Combat Encounter
magical attack. The PCs may choose to hide from the dragon when they
spot it, making the decision that avoiding the fury of a
Combat Encounter dragon is the smart course of action.
If you choose to attack the dragon, the storm suddenly
comes to an end and it turns its attention to you and When searching for a place to hide, the party comes
your companions. The dragon is every bit as powerful across the dragon’s lair. Despite what may have already
and destructive as the gamemaster decides is appropri- been stolen from the dragon, there are still several valu-
ate to the situation; against lower-level PCs, maybe the able treasures just waiting to be taken. Unfortunately
dragon has already exhausted much of its power when for the group, the dragon has set a magic alarm and if a
it summoned the storm that chased the party from their single item is touched, the alarm triggers and the drag-
camp site. on races back to confront the intruders.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 6
goblin warrior
Suicidal is the only word that could possi- The goblin races toward you and your companions,
murder in its eyes and promises of death on its lips.
bly describe the single goblin that stands You’ve truly not encountered goblins for quite some
before you and your fellow adventurers. time now, so you’re unsure of what the goblin could be
Charging from the woods alongside the talking about as it screams about you killing its friends.
road, the creature raises its mace and
yells out a challenge, accusing you of kill- Combat Encounter
ing its friends. You’ve not seen goblins in If you choose to engage the goblin, the encounter
days, so what does this creature mean? quickly devolves into a violent -- and one-sided --
event. The goblin is no match for your party and it will
not stop fighting until it is dead. In addition to its mace,
the goblin is also carrying a few smoke bombs and a
small coin purse with a few copper and silver pieces.

Non-Combat Encounter
If you do not fight the goblin, instead finding a way
to restrain it without killing it, you may be able to talk
with the goblin and find out what foul, terrible actions
it thinks you have performed.

It takes several moments for the goblin to

calm down enough to talk, at which point it
looks closer at each of you and then shakes
its head. “It wasn’t you,” the goblin says as
soon as it gets a good look at your party.

The goblin tells how it and its people were in their vil-
lage a few days ago when adventurers rode in and at-
tacked. The goblin, his name is Geerd Dralb, only sur-
vived because he was knocked unconscious during the
battle and left for dead. When he came to, the village
was burning and everyone was dead.

The goblin is now seeking those who wiped out his vil-
lage and he will not rest until he has killed the murder-
ers – or he is dead.

If the party wishes to help Dralb find those who

attacked the village, the goblin thanks them and
promises that they may keep any riches that the
others are carrying. He only wants their deaths.

The attackers were a band of evil adventurers who

learned of the village and thought it would be fun to
kill a bunch of goblins. They had no reason for their at-
tack other than the desire to be as cruel as possible.

a dozen treacherous encounters • page 7

chaos on horseback
The knight at first looks the part of a noble paladin, those holy warriors who defend
the good and innocent of the land against evil. As the rider comes closer, though, you
are filled with an unexplainable sense of dread, as if an aura of evil surrounds him.

The warrior shows no signs of slowing or of turning to If the knight is reduced to half his hit points, he raises
miss you. You and your friends may either leap to the his weapon in salute and then he and his horse vanish.
side, to avoid being trampled, or you may hold your This extra-planar warrior only comes to this plane of ex-
ground and fight the evil knight. istence for sport, and he returns to his home world once
he is wounded.
Combat Encounter
The knight is all too willing to fight you, doing his best Non-Combat Encounter
to charge and trample one or more of you and then, Leaping to the side, the knight and rider thunder off
when possible, turning back and leaping from his horse and are soon gone. All that remains of their charge is
to engage you in hand-to-hand combat. The knight is a cloud of dust and a scrap of parchment on which is
equipped with magic armor and weapons and is more written: “It is unfortunate that you are cowards. Perhaps
skilled and powerful than any member of your group. we will meet again when you are worthy of my sword.”

a dozen treacherous encounters • page 8

a mummy and treasure
As experienced adventurers, you and your friends know that no dungeon is without
some danger. And where there is danger, there is certain to be treasure.
Every dungeon has treasure, and often guardians, but this time you come
across a treasure that is being watched by a monster with only a single
purpose: to prevent anyone from taking a particular item of treasure from
its resting place.

Combat Encounter
The instant you touch the treasure item (which can be anything the GM
wishes), the mummy protecting the item is magically notified and the
beast starts walking toward the treasure. The arcane bond between the
item and the monster allows the mummy to track the item no matter
where it is, and the undead monster will not rest until the treasure item
is returned to its proper resting place.

Combat with the mummy is invitable if the treasure is touched or tak-

en. And if the treasure is sold or handed to another, the mummy shifts
its attention to continue following the item. Any who come into
contact with the treasure are marked by the magic of the curse;
the mummy will attack those who have touched the treasure
even if they no longer possess the item. This arcane mark lasts
for 3d6 days after the item was touched.

Non-Combat Encounter
Only those with permission from the monster’s master – usu-
ally a cleric or spellcaster who created the mummy – may
touch the treasure item and not be forced into battle with the
monster. Unfortunately for the party, a mummy often lasts
much longer than its creator and it is unlikely that they will
get permission to touch the affected treasure.

The party may also try to trap the monster before grabbing
the treasure. If they’re aware that a particular item is guarded
by a mummy, and know the monster’s location, they can try
to deal with the beast before going after the treasure.

“Mummies defend tombs and other sacred

places against intrusion, striking down foes
with a deadly rotting disease.”
– Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert,
and James Wyatt, Monster Manual (4th Edition)
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 9
the warrior elf
The blackness of the armor hides the elf well, and he would have been impossible to
spot if not for the paleness of his flesh and the flash of his swords. The drow stands in
defense of the cavern mouth, protecting his people from vile intruders.

Cuvnai Okzi is a drow champion, one of their greatest Non-Combat Encounter

warriors, who has been tasked with protecting this mi- If the party notices that the drow is unable to keep up
nor entrance to the drow city. The cave is a rarely used with the fight, they may elect to hold back and try to
passage and it has been years since Okzi last defended talk to him. If questioned, Okzi continues to try and fight
his people from unwanted invaders. them, calling them cowards and insisting that they face
him and his swords. It is only when he is wounded that
Combat Encounter the drow shows any hesitation, at which point the party
Okzi is impatient and eager to prove that he is still ca- may again try to talk to him. Will the drow warrior admit
pable of protecting his people. He is well aware that his his fear of inadequacy to the group, or will he refuse to
skills have withered with age and that many in the city face the truth and force the party to kill him?
no longer feel he has what it takes to serve as a guard.
This is his chance to show them all that he is still to be What is worse is that the drow have stationed more
feared and that none will get past him. Okzi is not up guards deeper in the cave; they expect Okzi to be killed
to the task of fighting the party, though, and he will be if anyone tries to enter the city through this direction.
defeated if they choose to push their way into the cave.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 10
a single gnoll
The gnoll, Jaalos, was separated from his pack several weeks ago and
The hyena-like beast is has been surviving as best he can in the forest. The gnoll does not
crouched at the stream, filling know where his pack has gone, and he now fears the worst.
a waterskin when you spot
it several hundred feet from The creature doesn’t trust strangers and is especially wary of adven-
your position. It raises its head, turers, who are usually quick to attack members of his race. He will
not move to engage in battle, but he will defend himself if attacked.
nose sniffing, and reaches for
its spear as it notices you and Combat Encounter
your fellow dungeoneers. The gnoll defends himself with his spear and will do all that he can
to escape from the group. The creature, if wounded, changes
from making a defensive retreat to a panicked run. If re-
duced below half his hit points, there is a 25% chance
that the creature will grow more angry than fright-
ened; if this happens, the gnoll gains a +2 bonus to
attack and damage rolls and he will fight to the
death.

Non-Combat Encounter
The gnoll tells of how he was separated from his
pack: they came into conflict with a tribe of orcs
and in the battle, he was forced to flee into the
forest and hasn’t seen his people since.

The gnoll asks for help locating his pack.

Jaalos will take the party back to where he
last saw his people, and an experienced
tracker may be able to pick up the trail
(though it will be very difficult to track
the pack of gnolls; time has erased
most of their tracks).

The gnoll will remain with the

group until they find his pack.

“A lone gnoll is a survivor of some

calamity inevitably looking for
a new band to join or an exile
trying to find some other group of
humanoids to join.”
– Pathfinder Chronicles:
Classic Monsters Revisited
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 11
pay the toll
On a minor road connecting two small towns, you are stopped by a band of tollmen
who demand that you each pay five silver to use the roadway. The tollmen are armed
and each is ready for a fight.

There are twice as many tollmen as there are members The group is unwilling to back down, though, because
in your party, making you think hard about the situa- they know that allowing anyone to pass without paying
tion. Each man looks hardened and experienced, and a the price will mark the end of their tollway days.
few of them have scars that show they’ve been in fights
before. Will you pay their toll, or will you choose to Non-Combat Encounter
put an end to this particular band of ruffians and their If you choose to pay the tollmen, they laugh and clap
scheme to take money from travelers? each other on the back and thank you for your business.
The men are rude, shouting insults at each of you; the
Combat Encounter feel of silver in their hands makes them feel braver and
If you fight, you’ll find that the thugs are indeed ex- stronger than they should.
perienced and looking for some fun. The men are not
masterful warriors, but they are capable of working to- At one of the nearby towns, you learn that the town
gether against a common foe. One of them, the leader, watch is offering a bounty of three gold for each toll-
shows that he has some knowledge of squad tactics, man brought in and delivered to the local jail.
but his followers are incapable of following more than
a command or two. The situation quickly becomes a If no one deals with the tollmen soon, the town watch
brawl, with the tollmen acting more like barroom fight- will send a patrol out to break the gang and either chase
ers than skilled warriors. them off or kill them all.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 12
the dragonfolk knight
You encounter the creature deep in the dungeon, when you are several hours
from the nearest exit. It is seated on a stone throne, shield and spear sitting
at its side. “Welcome, adventurers,” it says as it motions for you to sit.

You enter a large dungeon chamber, several dozen feet across with
high ceilings that makes the room look almost like a cathedral. The
stone throne at the head of the room, as well as several dozen
benches arranged in front of the throne, make it clear that this
was once an important room in this subterranean complex.

The dragonfolk seated on the throne again motions for you

to take seats on the benches. The creature is tall, even for
one of its kind, and the heavy armor does little to mask the
warrior’s obvious strength.

Combat Encounter
If you refuse to sit, the dragonfolk warrior is offended by
your rudeness and demands that you sit. If you refuse
again, it rises and moves to attack you. The monster
uses its strength, flaming breath, and magic spear and
shield in an attempt to force you and your companions
to submit to its will. The monster will fight to the death.

Non-Combat Encounter
If you sit, the dragonfolk warrior thanks you and in-
troduces himself as Sir Immeir, Champion Of Dragons,
and says that he has been waiting for adventurers to
perform an important task for him.

“Two levels below us is the River of Gold, a boiling riv-

er of molten gold that can enchant a weapon that is
thrust into the bubbling metal. Take this spear, hold
the blade in the gold for one minute, and then return
it to me. Do this and I will reward you.”

“Born to fight, dragonborn are a

race of wandering mercenaries,
soldiers, and adventurers.”
– Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins,
and James Wyatt,
Player’s Handbook (4th Edition)
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 13
drow scoundrel
Face concealed as the dark of night cloaks him in mystery, the drow takes the surpris-
ing act of calling out to you, startling you in your camp. “I mean not to threaten you,”
the man says after he is certain that you have noticed his presence.

The drow says that he only wants to share your fire and The drow tries to keep distance between the party and
to find safety in numbers. He is heavily armed and ar- himself, so that he may use his light crossbow, but he
mored, and those who cast detection spells find that will draw a long sword if pressed into melee conflict.
the drow is very, very evil.
The drow will do all that he can to escape, including the
If asked, the drow tells you that his name is Shudrosh use of darkness and shadow spells to mask his flight
Rhince and that he is currently traveling to the south- from the group.
ern coast to meet a friend. “The woods are dangerous at
night, even to those such as myself,” he says. “I was wound- Non-Combat Encounter
ed recently and have not the strength for battle, so I only If you allow the drow to join you for the night, he thanks
wish to rest in peace.” you and offers to pay each of you a few gold for your
promise to allow him a restful sleep.
Combat Encounter
Despite the wishes of the drow, you may choose to at- Only a fool trusts a drow, though, and the man will
tack the dark elf and put an end to his evil ways when move to murder a party member or two if he thinks that
you have the chance. The drow is wounded – at roughly he can get away with it. He’ll also try to steal any mag-
one-half his usual hit points – and he will attempt to es- ic potions, scrolls, or spellbooks from the group if he is
cape if attacked. given the chance to do so and slip away in the darkness.
a dozen treacherous encounters • page 14