Interesting encounters are short descriptions of encounters that GMs can use to build on. They combine unique aspects of different types of foes, terrain, skill checks, weather, combat, etc in order to provide more unique challenges than hit monster; repeat.
The canyon encounter is all about the PCs infiltrating an enemy camp. We're not going to make it easy though. The threats are numerous.
The canyon has one obvious entrance where the small creek flows out of it. The creek flows in over a small waterfall on the opposite end. The canyon is quite large -- 100 or more feet across and several hundred feet long. It's 40 feet tall walls are impassable at first glance.
The canyon contains different camps of 10 to 15 tents each. Each camp is a different group that make up a faction of the enemies. It is assumed these groups are only loosely coupled by their common cause and so they don't mingle much. Some of the groups may be heavily inebriated. Other camps will have lookouts and be active. One group of tents near the back of the cavern will be the target of the interest for PCs.
Surrounding the canyon will be 1 to 6 scout tents. They may or may not have fires burning at night, but if they do, the scouts will be a distance away avoiding night blindness. The scout camps will be signaling each other every 10 minutes or so with lanterns. One scout camp will also be signaling the main camp tent.
Near the entrance of the camp will be a band of musicians playing. Despite their harmless appearance, they will be a group of trained killers. Killer bards, if your system uses that sort of thing.
Various scrub brush will be growing in and around the canyon. There are no trees. Searching the scrub brush near the scout camps may turn up a treacherous path down into the canyon.
The PCs have a lot of options, but charging in is not one of them; doing so would get them captured and shoved in the main tent with no gear, weapons, and severe injuries. From this point, they could attempt an escape. The other prisoner, discussed later, will be a complication.
They could attempt to sneak into the camp at night or in disguise through the front entrance. They could attempt to overtake a scout camp. If they do so, they need to continue the signaling or get caught. If they attempt to do so at night, the path into the canyon, if there is one, will be dangerous and could get the PC injured and/or draw attention.
Inside the canyon, scouts around may spot the PCs and signal an alarm, overwhelming the PCs with enemies. However, because of the mix of groups, it may not be entirely clear who are the PCs and who are the enemies in the scuffle. Make the encounter tougher by giving all of the enemies some identifying item, like a red bandana. The PCs may try to capture some of these items to disguise themselves.
Inside the main tent, the PCs will find what they are looking for, but also a prisoner unknown to them. This prisoner could be an actual prisoner to help them, or a planted prisoner to guard the tent. In either case, the PCs will have to assess the prisoner and figure out what to do. Choosing poorly could alert the camp or get them ambushed.
Once the goal at the main tent has been completed, escape is not assured. Getting out the way they came in may be an option, or they may have to choose another way. It is likely that orders could prevent anyone from leaving the camp, so the main entrance may not be an option.
However the party attempts to overcome this challenge, it should span a wide variety of skills. Along the way, if mistakes are made, the complications will only serve to make the story more interesting.
The canyon encounter is all about the PCs infiltrating an enemy camp. We're not going to make it easy though. The threats are numerous.
The canyon has one obvious entrance where the small creek flows out of it. The creek flows in over a small waterfall on the opposite end. The canyon is quite large -- 100 or more feet across and several hundred feet long. It's 40 feet tall walls are impassable at first glance.
The canyon contains different camps of 10 to 15 tents each. Each camp is a different group that make up a faction of the enemies. It is assumed these groups are only loosely coupled by their common cause and so they don't mingle much. Some of the groups may be heavily inebriated. Other camps will have lookouts and be active. One group of tents near the back of the cavern will be the target of the interest for PCs.
Surrounding the canyon will be 1 to 6 scout tents. They may or may not have fires burning at night, but if they do, the scouts will be a distance away avoiding night blindness. The scout camps will be signaling each other every 10 minutes or so with lanterns. One scout camp will also be signaling the main camp tent.
Near the entrance of the camp will be a band of musicians playing. Despite their harmless appearance, they will be a group of trained killers. Killer bards, if your system uses that sort of thing.
Various scrub brush will be growing in and around the canyon. There are no trees. Searching the scrub brush near the scout camps may turn up a treacherous path down into the canyon.
The PCs have a lot of options, but charging in is not one of them; doing so would get them captured and shoved in the main tent with no gear, weapons, and severe injuries. From this point, they could attempt an escape. The other prisoner, discussed later, will be a complication.
They could attempt to sneak into the camp at night or in disguise through the front entrance. They could attempt to overtake a scout camp. If they do so, they need to continue the signaling or get caught. If they attempt to do so at night, the path into the canyon, if there is one, will be dangerous and could get the PC injured and/or draw attention.
Inside the canyon, scouts around may spot the PCs and signal an alarm, overwhelming the PCs with enemies. However, because of the mix of groups, it may not be entirely clear who are the PCs and who are the enemies in the scuffle. Make the encounter tougher by giving all of the enemies some identifying item, like a red bandana. The PCs may try to capture some of these items to disguise themselves.
Inside the main tent, the PCs will find what they are looking for, but also a prisoner unknown to them. This prisoner could be an actual prisoner to help them, or a planted prisoner to guard the tent. In either case, the PCs will have to assess the prisoner and figure out what to do. Choosing poorly could alert the camp or get them ambushed.
Once the goal at the main tent has been completed, escape is not assured. Getting out the way they came in may be an option, or they may have to choose another way. It is likely that orders could prevent anyone from leaving the camp, so the main entrance may not be an option.
However the party attempts to overcome this challenge, it should span a wide variety of skills. Along the way, if mistakes are made, the complications will only serve to make the story more interesting.
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