TEXT: a dozen treacherous encounters • page 1
  A Dozen Treacherous Encounters © 2020 Philip Reed, all rights reserved. 
  Artwork by fantasy-stockart.com, used under license.
  The number of possible encounters that you may  
  access – either to expand into a larger scene or to use as 
  inspiration for an encounter of your own design – grows 
  by twelve with this latest release in the A Dozen . . . se-
  ries of PDFs. This time around, I’ve provided twelve en-
  counters you can draw from that each include combat 
  and non-combat options.
  As always, it is my hope that the twelve encounters  
  described on the following pages spark your own cre-
  ativity and lead to enjoyable game sessions that are un-
  like what any other GM could imagine. As a storyteller, 
  it is your job during the session to entertain the players, 
  and only you know best how to adapt published game 
  concepts to fit the tastes of your group.
  a dozen treacherous 
  encounters
  by philip reed
  “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 • page 2
  anatomy  
  of an 
  encounter
  using the encounters
  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 
  you, the GM, with an idea that you can ex-
  pand to suit your campaign. Each includes 
  a combat and a non-combat option.
  The important thing to remember about all of the en-
  counters that follow is that they are not fleshed out, 
  complete adventure locations and events. Every single 
  encounter includes just enough information to trigger 
  your own imagination; it is my wish that as you read 
  through all these encounters, you find yourself over-
  whelmed with ideas of your own. Each one is a snap-
  shot stolen from my own imagination . . . and now we 
  need for you to take these fragments and transform 
  them into scenes that your players will never forget.
  For additional inspiration when taking the encounter 
  ideas that follow and making them your own, I high-
  ly recommend grabbing a scrap of paper or a journal 
  and writing down every idea that comes to mind as you 
  read the words I’ve provided.
  Then, once you’ve got all of your thoughts in place, grab 
  a 3 x 5 index card – or open a note file on your phone 
  or tablet – and string concepts together one piece at a 
  time to form a sequence of events that take my ideas 
  and, with work, make them your own.
  For example, the encounter shown above describes a 
  skeleton that isn’t your usual undead monster. This par-
  ticular skeleton isn’t what it appears, and only during 
  the course of the encounter will the player characters 
  learn that something is different about this creature.
  Each encounter is only useful once, though coming 
  back and reading any of these long after you have used 
  them may trigger new ideas of your own.
  1
  3
  2
  4
  
  a dozen treacherous encounters • page 3
  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 
  himself as Crardon Khilrir and says that he is the de-
  fender of this path. Only those with permission to be on 
  the path, the drow states, are allowed to pass. If pressed, 
  the drow says that permission must be granted by his 
  queen, the dark elf leader of the city that lies deep be-
  neath this very spot.
  Combat Encounter
  If you refuse to turn back, and you do not have the per-
  mission of the drow queen, the warrior uses every skill, 
  spell, and weapon he possesses to prevent you from 
  continuing down the pathway. The drow is a skilled 
  fighter/mage and uses an unusual scythe when attack-
  ing. The elf may cast a handful of offensive spells, as se-
  lected by the gamemaster.
  The drow will fight to the death, but it will not fight alone. 
  The warrior only has to last 2d4+2 combat rounds, after 
  which point 1d4+2 drow soldiers are teleported into 
  the battle; Khilrir notifies the city of the intruders using 
  a magic ring as soon as the PCs attack.
  Non-Combat Encounter
  If you hold back, and do not attack, and if you do not 
  try to walk down the path, the drow warrior will discuss 
  local news, share what gossip he may have heard, and 
  generally be as friendly as you can expect any dark elf to 
  ever be. The drow will not help the adventurers, but he 
  will direct them to a nearby town where they can find 
  shelter, food, and assistance. The drow city and nearby 
  human settlement have a truce and the two do all they 
  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 4
  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. 
  The skull floating above its head speaks, as do those on 
  its back, but the words make no sense to any of your 
  group and it appears that each of the skulls is speaking 
  in a different language. The thing’s eyes stare blankly at 
  you, as if there is no life within its body.
  Combat Encounter
  If you attack the monster, it slashes at you with clawed 
  hands. The monster is as strong as an orc and tries to 
  bite any who get too close to it. The skulls don’t stop 
  speaking . . . unless they see a chance to bite down on 
  an opponent. Do not get too close to this thing.
  After a few rounds of combat, if the thing still lives, then 
  the skulls start chanting in unison. Their strange chant 
  unleashes a spell that heals the monster to maximum 
  health and doubles its strength for 2d6 rounds.
  Whatever this thing is, it isn’t afraid to fight and will 
  continue to slash and bite at you and your companions 
  until you are all dead or you defeat it. If killed, the thing 
  collapses in a mass of meat and lies unmoving. The 
  skulls die with it. 
  Non-Combat Encounter
  If you do not attack the monster, it stops its advance 
  when it is within five or so feet of you at which point it 
  sits on the ground. After a few moments, the skulls on 
  its back quiet down – they continue to speak in differ-
  ent languages, but in a whisper – and the skull on the 
  monster’s head speaks in a louder voice, in a common 
  tongue that you can all understand.
  “We are Nadan, eater of the dead and conduit to the Great 
  God Tepeth Metus. Do you wish to speak to Tepeth Metus 
  and swear your loyalty to Him and all that He holds dear?”
  If you choose to speak to Tepeth Metus, an ancient god 
  of death and disease, there is a 1% chance that you are 
  not driven insane from the direct contact with a god. 
  Any PCs who possess knowledge of religion and the ar-
  cane will warn others in the party to not ask to speak 
  with the god.
  If you refuse the chance to speak with Tepeth Metus, the 
  monster turns on you and attacks until it is dead. The 
  thing will not run from the fight.
  
  a dozen treacherous encounters • page 5
  the skeleton’s shield
  Within the dungeon, you and 
  your companions bash through 
  one door that splinters inward 
  in a shower of wood. The room is 
  empty, other than a skeleton that 
  stands tall and proud. It speaks.
  “Hold your weapons, gentlefolk, for I mean you no ill and wish only 
  to beg you for help.”
  The skeleton takes a step back, waiting to see how you will re-
  spond to its request for assistance. 
  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 6
  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-
  ous, unleashing its magic as a storm that is tearing up 
  the landscape and terrifying many of the animals in the 
  affected area. The dragon has no idea who took its trea-
  sures, so it is simply inflicting as much damage as pos-
  sible in an effort to punish anything within range of its 
  magical attack.
  Combat Encounter
  If you choose to attack the dragon, the storm suddenly 
  comes to an end and it turns its attention to you and 
  your companions. The dragon is every bit as powerful 
  and destructive as the gamemaster decides is appropri-
  ate to the situation; against lower-level PCs, maybe the 
  dragon has already exhausted much of its power when 
  it summoned the storm that chased the party from their 
  camp site.
  The dragon doesn’t know who stole its treasures, but it 
  instantly decides that the PCs are the thieves who com-
  mitted the sin of infilitrating its lair. The dragon will fight 
  to the death.
  Non-Combat Encounter
  The PCs may choose to hide from the dragon when they 
  spot it, making the decision that avoiding the fury of a 
  dragon is the smart course of action.
  When searching for a place to hide, the party comes 
  across the dragon’s lair. Despite what may have already 
  been stolen from the dragon, there are still several valu-
  able treasures just waiting to be taken. Unfortunately 
  for the group, the dragon has set a magic alarm and if a 
  single item is touched, the alarm triggers and the drag-
  on races back to confront the intruders.
  
  a dozen treacherous encounters • page 7
  goblin warrior
  Suicidal is the only word that could possi-
  bly describe the single goblin that stands 
  before you and your fellow adventurers. 
  Charging from the woods alongside the 
  road, the creature raises its mace and 
  yells out a challenge, accusing you of kill-
  ing its friends. You’ve not seen goblins in 
  days, so what does this creature mean?
  The goblin races toward you and your companions, 
  murder in its eyes and promises of death on its lips. 
  You’ve truly not encountered goblins for quite some 
  time now, so you’re unsure of what the goblin could be 
  talking about as it screams about you killing its friends.
  Combat Encounter
  If you choose to engage the goblin, the encounter 
  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 8
  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 
  miss you. You and your friends may either leap to the 
  side, to avoid being trampled, or you may hold your 
  ground and fight the evil knight.
  Combat Encounter
  The knight is all too willing to fight you, doing his best 
  to charge and trample one or more of you and then, 
  when possible, turning back and leaping from his horse 
  to engage you in hand-to-hand combat. The knight is 
  equipped with magic armor and weapons and is more 
  skilled and powerful than any member of your group.
  If the knight is reduced to half his hit points, he raises 
  his weapon in salute and then he and his horse vanish. 
  This extra-planar warrior only comes to this plane of ex-
  istence for sport, and he returns to his home world once 
  he is wounded.
  Non-Combat Encounter
  Leaping to the side, the knight and rider thunder off 
  and are soon gone. All that remains of their charge is 
  a cloud of dust and a scrap of parchment on which is 
  written: “It is unfortunate that you are cowards. Perhaps 
  we will meet again when you are worthy of my sword.”
  
  a dozen treacherous encounters • page 9
  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 10
  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 
  warriors, who has been tasked with protecting this mi-
  nor entrance to the drow city. The cave is a rarely used 
  passage and it has been years since Okzi last defended 
  his people from unwanted invaders. 
  Combat Encounter
  Okzi is impatient and eager to prove that he is still ca-
  pable of protecting his people. He is well aware that his 
  skills have withered with age and that many in the city 
  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 
  feared and that none will get past him. Okzi is not up 
  to the task of fighting the party, though, and he will be 
  defeated if they choose to push their way into the cave.
  Non-Combat Encounter
  If the party notices that the drow is unable to keep up 
  with the fight, they may elect to hold back and try to 
  talk to him. If questioned, Okzi continues to try and fight 
  them, calling them cowards and insisting that they face 
  him and his swords. It is only when he is wounded that 
  the drow shows any hesitation, at which point the party 
  may again try to talk to him. Will the drow warrior admit 
  his fear of inadequacy to the group, or will he refuse to 
  face the truth and force the party to kill him?
  What is worse is that the drow have stationed more 
  guards deeper in the cave; they expect Okzi to be killed 
  if anyone tries to enter the city through this direction.
  
  a dozen treacherous encounters • page 11
  a single gnoll
  The 
  hyena-like 
  beast 
  is 
  crouched at the stream, filling 
  a waterskin when you spot 
  it several hundred feet from 
  your position. It raises its head, 
  nose sniffing, and reaches for 
  its spear as it notices you and 
  your fellow dungeoneers.
  The gnoll, Jaalos, was separated from his pack several weeks ago and 
  has been surviving as best he can in the forest. The gnoll does not 
  know where his pack has gone, and he now fears the worst.
  The creature doesn’t trust strangers and is especially wary of adven-
  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.
  Combat Encounter
  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 12
  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 
  in your party, making you think hard about the situa-
  tion. Each man looks hardened and experienced, and a 
  few of them have scars that show they’ve been in fights 
  before. Will you pay their toll, or will you choose to 
  put an end to this particular band of ruffians and their 
  scheme to take money from travelers?
  Combat Encounter
  If you fight, you’ll find that the thugs are indeed ex-
  perienced and looking for some fun. The men are not 
  masterful warriors, but they are capable of working to-
  gether against a common foe. One of them, the leader, 
  shows that he has some knowledge of squad tactics, 
  but his followers are incapable of following more than 
  a command or two. The situation quickly becomes a 
  brawl, with the tollmen acting more like barroom fight-
  ers than skilled warriors.
  The group is unwilling to back down, though, because 
  they know that allowing anyone to pass without paying 
  the price will mark the end of their tollway days.
  Non-Combat Encounter
  If you choose to pay the tollmen, they laugh and clap 
  each other on the back and thank you for your business. 
  The men are rude, shouting insults at each of you; the 
  feel of silver in their hands makes them feel braver and 
  stronger than they should.
  At one of the nearby towns, you learn that the town 
  watch is offering a bounty of three gold for each toll-
  man brought in and delivered to the local jail. 
  If no one deals with the tollmen soon, the town watch 
  will send a patrol out to break the gang and either chase 
  them off or kill them all.
  pay the toll
  
  a dozen treacherous encounters • page 13
  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 14
  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 
  to find safety in numbers. He is heavily armed and ar-
  mored, and those who cast detection spells find that 
  the drow is very, very evil. 
  If asked, the drow tells you that his name is Shudrosh 
  Rhince and that he is currently traveling to the south-
  ern coast to meet a friend. “The woods are dangerous at 
  night, even to those such as myself,” he says. “I was wound-
  ed recently and have not the strength for battle, so I only 
  wish to rest in peace.”
  Combat Encounter
  Despite the wishes of the drow, you may choose to at-
  tack the dark elf and put an end to his evil ways when 
  you have the chance. The drow is wounded – at roughly 
  one-half his usual hit points – and he will attempt to es-
  cape if attacked.
  The drow tries to keep distance between the party and 
  himself, so that he may use his light crossbow, but he 
  will draw a long sword if pressed into melee conflict.
  The drow will do all that he can to escape, including the 
  use of darkness and shadow spells to mask his flight 
  from the group.
  Non-Combat Encounter
  If you allow the drow to join you for the night, he thanks 
  you and offers to pay each of you a few gold for your 
  promise to allow him a restful sleep. 
  Only a fool trusts a drow, though, and the man will 
  move to murder a party member or two if he thinks that 
  he can get away with it. He’ll also try to steal any mag-
  ic potions, scrolls, or spellbooks from the group if he is 
  given the chance to do so and slip away in the darkness.
  
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