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.
This encounter is all about excitement and speed with a lot of humor thrown in. The encounter takes place on a sleepy little snow-covered mountainside in a village. The party can start out either inside or outside. After an overnight ice storm, the party will be startled by screaming and strange noises.
A group of goblins has gathered up the mountain from the village. They have recently discovered that if they load 4 or more of them onto metal shields they recently recovered from a nearby battle, they can attain a lot of speed going down the hill. They get the wonderfully evil idea of using this new found method of transportation to make a raid on the village.
The raid starts with the first few groups sliding through the village at high speed. They have bladed weapons that at speed can be quite deadly to townsfolk or hurt the PCs. They are also trying to grab things like goats and buckets and laundry and whatever else might be outside as they slide through. Some sleds with fewer goblins might even be going slow enough for ranged weapons like shortbows to come into play.
The goblins will grab whatever is in reach, which is not always a good idea. One sled might end up with a laundry line of bloomers blocking their view. Another might spin out of control with the uneven weight distribution of a grabbed goat. Some might hit ramps of wood or other material laying around in the village. An airborne sled can do a lot of damage if it hits someone or something, though the goblin crew won't fair well in the collision.
Because the goblin shield sliders are moving so quick, they will be extremely difficult to hit if attacked, and also difficult to dodge. Since this looks like a fun raid, however, there will be a lot of goblins up the hill waiting for their turn keeping the chaos going. The party may try to engage the goblin sledders, improvise traps, grapple them, or even charge up the hill after them. In all cases, they will be at risk for weapon attacks and collisions.
The real goal at the heart of this encounter is keeping the goblins from hurting townsfolk and taking their stuff, so the party may also be corralling townsfolk indoors and moving stuff out of the grasp of goblins. The might also be building up things to deflect the goblin luge track away from the village.
To further complicate the encounter, some large creature, like a hobgoblin or ogre may come along and decide this looks like fun. Where the party is preparing for only the goblins, this makes for a hilarious change of pace. The bulk of a much larger creature is going to call for an immediate change of tactics. Failure to do so will cause a lot of damage, and even perhaps result in a PC being grabbed up and taken captive. A huge creature could also destroy buildings or grab up townsfolk.
Another aspect is that the goblins will be attempting to pilfer items off the party. If the fighter's magical sword or the wizard spellbook gets grabbed, the pursuit is on. Expect that the PCs will grab an empty shield and head down the hill after them. The chase is on.
During the chase, let the PCs lean to steer and push with their arms and weapons to gain speed. With any luck, they will catch up and engage the goblins in melee combat while sliding. Of course, in true Indiana Jones style, or perhaps inspired by Numenera's GM intrusions, the chase has to end badly.
The improved mountainside luge track empties out on to a partially frozen lake. At the bottom, the sleds will slide out onto the ice. The ice is safe for small goblins but the bigger PCs will, of course, crack through the lake and start the ice chunks flowing towards -- you guessed it -- a waterfall. What was at first a fun chase, is now turning into a fight to life or death. The PCs will usually be able to just paddle their concave shield over to the shore and count themselves lucky.
If the large creature earlier grabbed something, it is going to be bad news at the bottom of the hill. The huge creature is going for a dip through the ice into the cold water, and whatever he grabbed is going with him. If it is a PC, there is going to be significant cold damage, a fight to reach the surface and potentially break through the ice. Trying to get warm before frostbite and hypothermia set it will also be a challenge. With the party in chase, this shouldn't be too big of a problem, but it should feel dangerous.
In the end, the party should have a good time watching the goblin antics and feel lucky they survived the encounter relatively unscathed, except perhaps for a missing item or too.
This encounter is all about excitement and speed with a lot of humor thrown in. The encounter takes place on a sleepy little snow-covered mountainside in a village. The party can start out either inside or outside. After an overnight ice storm, the party will be startled by screaming and strange noises.
A group of goblins has gathered up the mountain from the village. They have recently discovered that if they load 4 or more of them onto metal shields they recently recovered from a nearby battle, they can attain a lot of speed going down the hill. They get the wonderfully evil idea of using this new found method of transportation to make a raid on the village.
The raid starts with the first few groups sliding through the village at high speed. They have bladed weapons that at speed can be quite deadly to townsfolk or hurt the PCs. They are also trying to grab things like goats and buckets and laundry and whatever else might be outside as they slide through. Some sleds with fewer goblins might even be going slow enough for ranged weapons like shortbows to come into play.
The goblins will grab whatever is in reach, which is not always a good idea. One sled might end up with a laundry line of bloomers blocking their view. Another might spin out of control with the uneven weight distribution of a grabbed goat. Some might hit ramps of wood or other material laying around in the village. An airborne sled can do a lot of damage if it hits someone or something, though the goblin crew won't fair well in the collision.
Because the goblin shield sliders are moving so quick, they will be extremely difficult to hit if attacked, and also difficult to dodge. Since this looks like a fun raid, however, there will be a lot of goblins up the hill waiting for their turn keeping the chaos going. The party may try to engage the goblin sledders, improvise traps, grapple them, or even charge up the hill after them. In all cases, they will be at risk for weapon attacks and collisions.
The real goal at the heart of this encounter is keeping the goblins from hurting townsfolk and taking their stuff, so the party may also be corralling townsfolk indoors and moving stuff out of the grasp of goblins. The might also be building up things to deflect the goblin luge track away from the village.
To further complicate the encounter, some large creature, like a hobgoblin or ogre may come along and decide this looks like fun. Where the party is preparing for only the goblins, this makes for a hilarious change of pace. The bulk of a much larger creature is going to call for an immediate change of tactics. Failure to do so will cause a lot of damage, and even perhaps result in a PC being grabbed up and taken captive. A huge creature could also destroy buildings or grab up townsfolk.
Another aspect is that the goblins will be attempting to pilfer items off the party. If the fighter's magical sword or the wizard spellbook gets grabbed, the pursuit is on. Expect that the PCs will grab an empty shield and head down the hill after them. The chase is on.
During the chase, let the PCs lean to steer and push with their arms and weapons to gain speed. With any luck, they will catch up and engage the goblins in melee combat while sliding. Of course, in true Indiana Jones style, or perhaps inspired by Numenera's GM intrusions, the chase has to end badly.
The improved mountainside luge track empties out on to a partially frozen lake. At the bottom, the sleds will slide out onto the ice. The ice is safe for small goblins but the bigger PCs will, of course, crack through the lake and start the ice chunks flowing towards -- you guessed it -- a waterfall. What was at first a fun chase, is now turning into a fight to life or death. The PCs will usually be able to just paddle their concave shield over to the shore and count themselves lucky.
If the large creature earlier grabbed something, it is going to be bad news at the bottom of the hill. The huge creature is going for a dip through the ice into the cold water, and whatever he grabbed is going with him. If it is a PC, there is going to be significant cold damage, a fight to reach the surface and potentially break through the ice. Trying to get warm before frostbite and hypothermia set it will also be a challenge. With the party in chase, this shouldn't be too big of a problem, but it should feel dangerous.
In the end, the party should have a good time watching the goblin antics and feel lucky they survived the encounter relatively unscathed, except perhaps for a missing item or too.
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