Thirty-Six Random Encounter seeds to spur adventure, provide

hooks, and distract parties while on the road.

by Ethan Cantrell and Tyler A. Thompson

 14. A Former Nest
Some creature made its home here, though it appears to
have left some time ago. The remains of past meals, gath-
ered trinkets, and other detritus might indicate it was a
predator or scavenger of some kind. Closer inspection may
reveal exactly what lived here.

Thank you for your patronage

15. The Amphitheater
Subscribe to our mailing list in order to get the most up to
date news about our company, our releases, and (naturally) A great amphitheater lays off the road, unusually far from

any discounts. a town or city that could support a structure of this size.

http://eepurl.com/gXZT6j That makes the throngs of entertainers and parties all the

Or follow us on twitter: @sadfishegames more unusual. What could have drawn them out here to
celebrate as they are?

11. The Monument

16. The Camp
An old path breaks off the road and leads into the vegeta-
tion. In a clearing sits a broken monument, tall stone col- A camp is positioned a little ways away from the road; and

umns reaching up to the sky like a mangled hand, bearing well hidden. Depending on the time of day there may be

various sigils that look like bastardized or hybridized sigils varying numbers of guards, but at least two sentries are al-

of known gods, even opposed ones: Rust, Heme, Clay, ways on watch. It is unlikely there are more than a dozen

Huge, Wail, among others. Vines creep up its sides, break- people residing here. Their purpose is unclear, but they do

ing the stone apart from within. Perhaps it is no more than not seem like they are supposed to be where they are.
a mundane structure, built long ago, or perhaps that faint
hum in the air is indicative of something greater still here.
21. A Ruined Town
The remains of a town or village lay here. The burned struc-
12. The Manor House tures and broken walls are characteristic of a bandit raid, or

Visible some miles away from the road is a large manor possibly even a raid from some hostile nation or tribe. The

house overlooking fields of wheat and vegetables. A gate- raid was recent though; survivors and raiders might still be
house sits closer to the main road, with guards on watch. around.

The manor feels out of place here, on this stretch of trail.

It appears far older than the recent recession of the blood
mist, and yet is inhabited, far from the nearest settlement
22. The Pit
that could reasonably sustain it. There is a large hole in the ground, unnaturally perfect in
its roundness. The walls of the pit feature descending,
curved lines, as though it were carved by some massive
13. The Ancient Glade drill-like thing. Significant heat rises up from it, but the

A small stretch of forest stands here, whether it belongs in bottom is not visible from the surface. Runes of the Rust

the greater landscape or not. Tall, ancient pines stand Brothers have been carved along the surface and upper rim

watch at its perimeter, and it is difficult to escape the sense of the Pit, some faded and ancient, some much more re-

of being watched or deeply comprehended by something cent.

stygian as one passes through.

2
D66 Encounters on the Road
 23. Cairns 32. The Battle
Three cairns sit atop a small rise, positioned so they form A pitched battle has just begun here between two local rival
a triangle. The remains of various creatures are scattered factions. Soldiers meet in the field, clashing steel as arrows
about, with a central pile of burned and cracked bones. A and offensive magic fliy overhead. Their banners make
skull sits at its base, a glowing rune in its forehead. Some them easily identifiable to any observers, and both sides
entity attempting to complete a ritual resides here, perhaps seem evenly matched in this fight. Strategic strikes to ei-
a necromancer or a witch. ther side could tip the balance.

24. The Itinerant Lutist 33. An Anomaly

A man walks the road, strumming his lute and singing a Something...strange is up ahead. A sphere, approximately
tune as he goes. He says he’s a wandering musician, going the size of a person, hovers over the road, appearing as a
from place to place and both teaching and learning new mass of multi-colored light continually turning in upon it-
songs – music has stagnated much from place to place, only self, with a coronal shimmer of golden light surrounding
now opened to the rest of the world at large with the fading it. Anything thrown into it vanishes. Were someone to
of the mist. He knows many stories by now, and is eager to touch it, or try to enter it, who knows what might become
regale any he encounters with what he has heard. of them?

25. Cowboys 34. Clever Vultures

A trio of herders speed past on their horses, chasing down Vultures begin circling overhead, watching the party with
a panicked herd. The animals seem to be fleeing a pack of close attention. Something here isn’t quite right though;
wolves, and the cowboys are attempting to both fight the there does not appear to be any carrion to attract them, and
wolves off and keep their herd from getting too far away. in fact, they are following the party’s movement specifi-
For any willing to help them, they may be rewarded. cally instead of hovering above a certain spot. Anyone
knowledgeable about wildlife might notice the odd call the

26. The Circus Caravan

vultures make periodically, and the sudden rustling in the
vegetation nearby. It seems these vultures have drawn
A circus caravan is passing over the road, taking up all the something more lethal to do their dirty work – perhaps a
available space for about a mile of the road’s length. The Drakeworm or Giant Squid. If the party continues on with-
caravan is like a mobile town, with massive wagons holding out taking any corrective action, they are sure to be at-
dozens of people each, including eateries and services like tacked.
blacksmiths or tailors. The denizens may be open to trade,
or even hiring the party on for work.
35. The Dead Lake
31. The Trade Caravan
A large lake with beautiful blue water sits amidst a clearing.
While it appears picturesque, the waters are lacking in any
A caravan of traders traveling together for mutual protec- kind of fish or other aquatic life. Its water, if drunk, is se-
tion are headed down the road. Perceptive observers may verely toxic, though simply touching the water does not
notice the pack of raiders moving in towards the caravan, seem to have any negative effects. On the lakebed is the
concealed by the terrain. The raiders are well-armed, and if cause of this: a black orb sitting atop a pedestal, and guarded
they launch their surprise attack it is very unlikely the car- by a massive tentacled creature. Its limbs wrap around the
avan will survive. On the other hand, opportunistic adven- orb, and it appears to be some hybrid between a cuttlefish
turers may just let the two groups fight it out, then mop up and the common carp.
the remains.

3
D66 Encounters on the Road
 appreciate its form; however, as it dives down upon them
36. Swarm at frightening speed, screeching out in fury.
This area is infested with swarms of mosquitoes, torment-
ing travellers with an unending succession of bites. They
may make sleep difficult, leading to exhaustion. This is
45. The Undead
made worse by the risk of contracting whatever diseases the At the side of the road is a burial site featuring two graves;
mosquitoes might carry – all of greater than normal Po- both seem to have been very hastily assembled, with the
tency. dirt on top still loose. Someone has written a warning mes-
sage in the dirt, informing the reader that the two buried
just feet away have been corrupted with the curse of
41. Wounded Raiders undeath. They were buried before reawakening, but as the
A small pack of bandits are on the side of the road, clearly party observes the graves they begin to stir. Limbs clad in
survivors of some recent fight. They have a handful of se- decomposing flesh poke out of the ground as the undead
verely wounded among them, and their single healer (him- pull themselves up, driven to attack the living.
self injured too) is overwhelmed. The leader is hostile to the
party if they approach, but reticent about attacking given
his people’s condition.
46. The Guardians
A pair of large stone statues stand in front of the entrance
to a side road. They are beautifully carved; with intricate
42. Prisoner Escort armor plating and realistic weaponry. One wields a war-
A group of armed guards, Rust Brother insignia adorning hammer, the other a spear. If approached, they begin to
them, seem to be escorting a larger group of unarmed and move with great rumbling sounds as their stone bodies an-
chained prisoners or slaves. The chained people seem to be imate. Each crosses their weapon over the others, blocking
in poor condition; malnourished and abused by the captors. the path. They announce to the travellers that they guard
The guards give any passers-by suspicious and hostile the Valley Beyond, and only those bearing the right mark
glances, and are quick to beat any prisoner who looks long- may pass without fighting them both (functionally, Giant
ingly at their potential rescuers. stats).

43 Treasure 51. The Cottage

Another group of adventurers have just gotten back on the A small cottage can be seen from the road, smoke slowly
road, apparently having come up out of the uncut vegeta- rising from its chimney. Its resident is a woman, with elf-
tion to its side. Careful observers or smooth-tongued com- ish features and quite beautiful. She offers the travellers
panions might be able to piece together that these adven- lodging for the night, at no expense other than asking that
turers have just hidden a cache of treasure somewhere they each contribute in some way towards preparing the
nearby while they go and take care of business elsewhere. evening’s meal. She seems to be a potion maker, given the
The treasure’s buried location might be found by tracking various ingredients scattered about her kitchen or growing
the path its owners took, or forcing the truth out of them outside, and may be able to provide the travellers with spe-
instead. cial concoctions. Those, however, may be at a price.

44. The Wyvern 52. The Elementalist

The sound of flocks of birds taking to the skies and fleeing A sudden gale rocks the party, followed by the crack of
at speed might be the first alert to the party that something thunder and pouring rain. This storm is not natural, and
is coming. In the sky, silhouetted by the sun is the tell-tale given the swirling nature of the clouds, appears to have a
shape of a wyvern. It does not linger for the party to focal point a few miles away. Someone is stirring the air

4
D66 Encounters on the Road
into a frenzy, though for what purpose is unknown. Per-
haps they are venting their grief and frustration for all to 56. Ambush
see, or preparing to fight against some great foe that only a A group of bandits, numbering no more than four, have set
storm such as this can fell. Whatever it is, the person re- up a trap on the road. They have set up carefully hidden
sponsible can be seen atop a hill, clad in lightning and tripwires so that when someone activates them, they will
clouds. If anyone is to approach them, it should be now, release nets holding stones in the trees above, hopefully
before they grow too dangerous. killing any trying to pass by. If that fails, the bandits are
well-hidden in the trees and undergrowth, and can spring

53. Nature’s Vengeance out to mop up any survivors.

A large logging site surrounds the road for several miles.

Several hundred people are here, working on behalf of their 61. Shipwreck
employers to cut down a vast swath of old forest. At some On a nearby beach, riverbank, or even stream, whichever
point, they cut one too many trees down, or perhaps ven- fits the setting better, is a wrecked ship or boat. Its broken
tured into a section not meant to be touched by human hull seems to indicate it was damaged by some kind of crea-
hands. Now, animals stalk the loggers’ camps at night, ture, rather than by mundane weapons or bad weather. Jag-
picking them off slowly, and Ents lie in way for stray work- ged holes can be seen all over it, and the bloody remains of
ers to crush. The site foreman is terrified and concerned; the crew. A few survivors are still clinging to life, but
not just for his safety but for the threat this poses to his barely. They speak of some strange beast that came out of
company’s profits. He may be willing to pay more well- the water to attack them, something with a hard, chitinous
armed people to deal with this problem. exoskeleton.

54. The Cave 62. The Diseased

There’s the entrance to a cave nearby, though it’s a tight A village here seems to have been quarantined, with sol-
fit. The painted markings around it indicate someone must diers from the local government preventing anyone from
have passed through before, and there is warm air coming entering or leaving. Some kind of sickness has taken root
from within. The gap between the rocks might be just large here, making anyone it infects incredibly ill, and leading to
enough for someone small and slight to fit through. Be- death in only a few days. So far, no cure has been found,
yond the entrance can be heard the sound of...laughter? The and considering how infectious it is, the soldiers are keep-
smells of cooking food, and the chatter of many voices. A ing a strict no-contact rule until mages trained in healing
discerning listener might pick up on the language: goblin. can arrive.

55. Refugees 63. Pilgrims

A group of perhaps 20 or 30 refugees are on the road, mov- A group of folk wearing ceremonial garb are passing
ing fast. They say they have fled an incursion of ogres in through. Their clothing and its intricate designs and in-
the area, who have laid waste to their villages. While the scriptions identify them as worshippers of some obscure fey
refugees have been accustomed to seeing ogres, they have deity, who they are on their way to commune with. They
never seen them act with this kind of organization and pre- say their god is deep beneath a volcano, and they must go
cision. They say their villages are only a dozen or so miles there to receive appraisal from him, as they are supposed to
away, and while they wish they could fight back, they aren’t do every century but have been unable since the first falling
certain they can do so without help. of the mist.

5
D66 Encounters on the Road
 64. The Tiger
As the party travels, they catch the attention of a great and
powerful tiger (or setting equivalent), though they are not
necessarily aware of this at first. The tiger may feel the party
has trespassed too far into her territory, where her kittens
are kept. She will stalk the party for the remainder of the
day, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and take one
of them, though she is unlikely to engage the entire group.

65. Lost treasure

A chest must have fallen off a passing caravan, and now lays
half-buried in mud at the side of the road. Despite the
grime, its mechanisms seem to be intact; there is no evi-
dence anyone has yet tried to force it open. Given its heft,
it probably holds some amount of gold and silver, or jewels.
While it doesn’t appear to be the bait for a trap, it is also
not exactly an inconspicuous find.

66. The Scholar and the

Ruin
-At a ruined site, what was perhaps a religious temple long
ago, a scholar and his retinue are outside studying the ar-
chitecture. They saw they came here to learn what they
could of this place and why it was built, and believe valuable
artifacts may be somewhere in the deeper ruins. The
scholar is willing to pay quite handsomely for assistance in
plumbing the depths.

6
D66 Encounters on the Road