Once I get around to running it (whenever that may be), I expect I will use the random encounter table and accompanying advice found on page 81 of the module.
I've already used a Moss Troll to greet the party first thing in the morning. It really annoyed them because they didn't realize about the regeneration initially... and the second time its initiative came around before someone could take it even further down (after a very nice one-shot).
I added three boars that attacked Waldsby, you can find details of that event in the GM thread for the Snows of Summer. I'll probably put the PCs through a snowstorm or something on the way back to Waldsby from the Pale Tower, they set up camp to wait it out, find the animal corpse, then BAM! Yeti time!
I used 3 frost firs that laid an ambush for the PC's after they rested in the Border Wood for 8 hours. Tomorrow they get some wolves in the night, I'm thinking 4.
I'm going for five Frost firs. Two of them advanced. The test-run worked out nicely. (That said, I'm going to downgrade the ambush if the group doesn't initially target Thora - her tactics state "wait 'til dark to attack" but I figure she'd also attack if she sees the ambush... and an Advanced Guardian Doll, upgraded Hommelstaub (level 4 oracle), two air elementals, AND Fawfein and his elk proved too much for a level 4 group (even with six characters).)
I am importing creatures from 2nd edition D&D with the "doll" theme for a few random encounters. In addition, I am adding some extra animal encounters in the forest.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Uh... Don't use Yeti?
I don't like "Random Encounters," I roll on the charts, but then I build up each encounter into something a little more realistic than just "Yeti appears roll initiative" I rolled an ogre, so I had it rummaging through the caravan site, etc.
I actually didn't roll for the yeti encounter, I decided to throw it in at the start of book 2, and it killed 1 person, and knocked 2 others unconscious before it fled.
Irrisen book has some cool encounters, like the Freezing Fog etc. Non-combat encounters with those.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
My use of a Yeti encounter was "you see some disturbing tracks crossing your way and heading off into the woods" - not all encounters equal combat. Sometimes you can negotiate... and sometimes it's just adding atmosphere and mood to the situation.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The gods, wanting their followers not to all be dead by noon, of course edit all random encounters so that anything above one CR past the party APL returns to the void of nothingness....or just finds another snack. How this isn't a stated rule somewhere for players to frantically refer to as part of (futile?) attempts to reign in overeager /antisocial/ ill mannered DMs is beyond me. Ignore at your peril.
Aside from that, goblins, stirges and a stray boar (BBQ for Heldren!) seem to be the flavor of the day at least initially with a freakish crow doing some klepto dive bombing in the mix. As far as the stirges are concerned I'm assuming their motivation is based on not wanting to become blood popsicles (beyond their normal thirsty tendencies) -they are all out in full force! Nothing warms like a swig of type AB negative right out of the tap...burp....
Stirges are always good. My players have something which might be called a 'stirge trauma'.
I used stirges, goblins and frost firs. I also used some polar animals.