Different Wandering Monster Encounters
by Gerry UptonYou are the DM running an adventure. Your PCs are pushing through the undergrowth or sneaking through the underground halls. It’s time. You pick up the appropriate Wandering Monster Die and roll the anticipated 1. Your adventurers have found some Wandering Monsters.
Why? Why are the Wandering Monsters there? What are they doing? Were they just standing around waiting for some adventurers to turn up? Cue monsters!
Even if the players rolled a 6, you can still surprise them by describing the monsters as actually doing something. Show that they have a reason for being there.
To spur your imagination, here is a list of things your party members might encounter:
· Two different types of monsters fighting each other; a small (or large) battle; increased chance of them being surprised;
· A monster or monsters eating something they just caught; decreased chance of them being surprised; they are wary;
· Humanoid monsters cooking a meal; increased chance of them being surprised;
· Humanoid monsters playing at dice or knucklebones; almost guaranteed that they will be surprised;
· Monster having trapped something edible but they’re playing with it first; or it’s in a corner where they can’t quite get to it; increased surprise;
· Humanoid monsters holding cockroach races; almost guaranteed they will be surprised;
· Monster(s) caught in a trap;
· Monster(s) waiting to ambush something coming in the other direction;
· Monster(s) sleeping; sentry has fallen asleep too; guaranteed surprise;
· Monsters waiting to ambush you, but one of them springs the trap too soon;
· Monster chasing prey; they both run right through your position;
· Humanoid monster(s) writing graffiti/clan identification marks on a wall;
· Monster(s) on patrol; you heard it/them coming; you are not surprised; it/they may be;
· (Humanoid) monster setting a trap;
· Drunk (humanoid) monster(s);
· (Humanoid) Monsters approaching holding a loud conversation or singing;
· (Humanoid) monsters examining something valuable they have found;
· Monsters fighting for possession of something;
· (Humanoid) monsters holding a friendly conversation;
· (Humanoid) monsters trying to build something;
· Monster(s) drinking water; very wary;
· (Humanoid) monsters trying to pick the reflection of the sun/moon out of a pond of water;
· (Humanoid) monsters herding some prisoners;
· (Humanoid) monsters escorting a wagon of goods (captured?) from one place to another;
· (Humanoid) monsters beating the bush to try to scare up game;
· Two monsters making out; how rude of you to interrupt.