Outdoor Encounters

Outdoor encounters are divided into two sets of tables, one for areas which are inhabited and patrolled, the other for uninhabited wilderness areas.

Inhabited areas are always assumed to be patrolled.

WHEN AN ENCOUNTER IN SUCH AN AREA IS INDICATED, ROLL d20; 5-IN-20 ARE ENCOUNTERS WITH A PATROL.

Patrols are detailed hereafter. It is assumed that you will have all communities and fortresses indicated in inhabited areas. If not, use the random terrain indicator for such, ignoring ruins if you choose.

Fortresses. Uninhabited areas will occasionally have fortresses. Whenever on encounter is indicated, roll d20; 1-in-20 is an encounter which discovers such a stronghold. These are also detailed hereafter.

Ruins. If you are not using the random terrain method for discovery of ruins, check by rolling percentile dice on that table nonetheless. Check only when an encounter is indicated, however. If ruins are indicated, then the encounter will occur there, and if the monster is not appropriate to the setting, check the Rough terrain column to find a result.

Patrols

Patrols will be of a racial composition appropriate to the area. Patrols will always be mounted unless there are extenuating circumstances such as terrain or a nation which shuns mounts. Leaders will ride warhorses.

Patrols will be commanded by a fighter (or ranger, where applicable) of from 6th to 8th level, with a lieutenant of from 4th to 5th level, and a serjeant of 2nd or 3rd level. There will be from 3 to 4 1st level men and from 13 to 24 soldiers (men-at-arms) forming the main body.

Armor and arms will be plate mail, shield, lance, flail, and long sword for all fighters of 1st level and above. Soldiers will typically have chain or scale mail, shield, bow or light crossbow, and a hand weapon. Accompanying each patrol will be a cleric (40%) of 6th or 7th level or a magic-user (60%) of 5th to 8th level. For magic-items of a patrol, the NPC Magic Item Possession Table above.

It is suggested that you personalize and prepare about a dozen or so standard patrol groups which you can then use repeatedly when needed.

Fortresses

Uninhabited areas are not all wilderness. There will be small settlements and a few strongholds scattered about. If the roll of [“1” on the] d20 indicates that there is a fortress in the area, the party will be within visual range of the construction - ½ to 5 miles depending upon terrain considerations. The castle type, the master of the stronghold, his or her forces, and the castle’s awareness of the party of adventurers are treated below.

For details of castle types see Dungeonmastering, Construction and Siege.

Once the size and type of castle discovered has been determined, the inhabitants are found.

Notes on Castle Table II. Totally deserted indicates the construction is in disrepair and upon close inspection appears empty. Deserted castles appear as totally deserted ones, even upon close inspection, but entry into the construction will discover the monster.

Humans means that the place is occupied by bandits, brigands, etc. Determine this as follows:

Numbers and other details of these humans are given in the Monster Manual under the heading of Men.

Character-types refers to the basic and sub-classes of characters:

For magic items possessed by the stronghold’s master, as well as for discovering the level of his or her henchmen, use [the sections above, Level Of Others With Characters, and the NPC Magic Item Possession Table.]

There will be from 2-5 henchmen found within a fortress. Certain character types will have special followers, and these will be found there also. However, except for the clerical profession, these followers will not serve as the main castle garrison. These men-at-arms will be:

• d8+4 heavy horse, splint mail & shield, lance, long sword, mace
• d8+8 light horse, studded leather, light crossbow, long sword
• d12+12 men-at-arms, scale mail, shield, spear, hand axe
• d6+6 men-at-arms, scale mail, heavy crossbow, morning star

Cavalry will be stabled and fight on the walls when necessary. Each of the above units will be led by a fighter of 3rd or 4th level with normal chances for magic items. Leaders are in addition to the figures shown.

Fortresses will be stocked with food, water, and supplies of arms and missiles. Each will have artillery and sufficient crew to operate each engine as follows:

Awareness/Surprise. To determine if the occupants of the stronghold are aware of the party of adventurers, roll a surprise die for the latter, and if they are surprised, then the fortress occupants know they are there - if surprise is 2 or greater, the occupants are actually outside the place and within normal surprise distance of the party of adventurers.

Otherwise, the adventurers have not been detected, and they may opt to pass the place by or go and investigate it.

The reactions of the castle or other type of stronghold to the adventurer party are discovered as normally done. Friendly or hostile reactions will be dictated by the culture and society of the area.

For instance, if you have the area as a typical medieval European fantasy one, a friendly reaction will result in the host party welcoming the adventurers, feting them, and offering an escort to the borders of their territory when they choose to leave (but meanwhile entertaining them royally with hunts, drinking bouts, etc.) A neutral reaction would be refusal to allow them into the place without facing one or more of their fighters in some form of non-lethal combat (such as jousting), and taking armor and weapons from them if they lose; or it could as well be a demand for a toll to pass through, meanwhile keeping the castle gates shut tight. A hostile reaction could be feigning good fellowship, getting the adventurers drunk, and then stripping them and imprisoning them for ransom; or it could result in immediate attack. You must decide.

Outdoor Random Monster Encounter Tables

Rough. Includes ruins (cities, temples, fortresses) within up to five miles of the party.

Monsters in italic type are 75% likely to be encountered while they are airborne.

(N) This creature is only encountered at night; roll again

(.) This sub-type creature will be encountered 20% of the time.

Arctic and Sub-arctic Conditions

Temperate and Sub-tropical Conditions

Temperate Conditions

Tropical and Near-tropical Conditions

Pleistocene Conditions

The creatures listed above are not all from the same geological period, but they provide a highly interesting mixture for adventuring. Feel free to devise your own encounter matrix for Jurassic, Triassic, or other period with non-aberrant creatures.