Random Encounters: Indigo River Northern Forests

The forests north of the Indigo River range from palms swaying in the salty breeze closer to the ocean to walls of oak trees picketed by bayonet plants and elephant's ears. However - north of the river - there is a malice lurking under the sandy topsoil, seeped in from tragedy past.

Wandering Monsters in the North Indigo River Basin

Rolling Encounters

In the forests north of the Indigo River, there is a 1-in-6 chance of an encounter roughly every four hours. When an encounter is rolled, determine vaguely which hour during that period by rolling 1d4. To determine the type of encounter, roll two dice:

• During the day, the die rolled should be six sided: a d6.
• If the hex is "heavy" foliage, roll three dice: dropping the lowest.
• During the night, the die rolled should be eight sided: a d8.
• If the moon is new, roll three dice: dropping the lowest.
• If the moon is full, roll three dice: dropping the highest.

Unlike the salt marsh, there is no difference between high and low tide - the water does not rise this far upland. Whatever number is rolled, consult the encounter table below based on biome.

Encounter Table

Most encounters are routine. Some encounters, denoted as Special, reference the Special Encounters section below.

Roll	Jungles	Wetland Jungles	Forests	Wetland Forests	Scrubland
2	Bonesnapper (FF 15)	Cifal (FF 19)	Caterwaul (FF 18)	Cifal (FF 19)	Bullywugs (FF 16)
3	Giant Toad (X 40)	Algoids (FF 11)	Carbuncle (FF 17)	Babbler (FF 13)	Al-mi’Raj (FF 11)
4	Bullywugs (FF 16)	Trolls (X 41)	Bullywugs (FF 16)	Trolls (X 41)	Clubnek (FF 19)
5	Party (X 37)	Bullywugs (FF 16)	Brigands (X 35)	Bullywugs (FF 16)	Osquip (FF 70)
6	Pit Viper (B 42)	Lizard (B 38)	Boar (B 31)	Lizard (B 38)	Brigands (X 35)
7	Lizard (B 38)	Pit Viper (B 42)	Panther (B 32)	Pit Viper (B 42)	Party (X 37)
8	Panther (B 32)	Giant Toad (X 40)	Lizard (B 38)	Panther (B 32)	Pit Viper (B 42)
9	Crocodile* (X 29)	Crocodile* (X 29)	Party (X 37)	Crocodile* (X 29)	Spider, Tarantella (B 41)
10	Giant Bat (FF 14)	Giant Crab (MM 15)	Giant Bat (FF 14)	Dragonfish (FF 30)	Merchants (X 36)
11	Poltergeist (FF 73)	Poltergeist (FF 73)	Poltergeist (FF 73)	Poltergeist (FF 73)	Poltergeist (FF 73)
12	Skeleton (B 42)	Zombie (B 44)	Skeleton (B 42)	Zombie (B 44)	Skeleton (B 42)
13	Zombie (B 44)	Relentless Dead	Zombie (B 44)	Relentless Dead	Zombie (B 44)
14	Fear Drinker	Huecuva (FF 51)	Fear Drinker	Huecuva (FF 51)	Phantasmic Seeker
15	Splintered Dead	Phantasmic Seeker	Son of Kyuss (FF 83)	Phantasmic Seeker	Necrophidius (FF 67)
16	Phantasmic Seeker	Wight (B 44)	Phantasmic Seeker	Wight (B 44)	Fear Drinker

    *Roll for size:

1-in-6: Giant

2-in-6: Large

3-in-6: Standard

Special Encounters

Relentless Dead

The source of corruption under the Watchtower is ever-pulsing: even still after decades of lying buried. Those settlers initially corrupted when the storm caused this energy to spill out from the crypt it was building in were bound to it - as were some of the hapless adventurers caught in its sway. These relentless dead roam the countryside at night, the only time the strength of the corruption is enough to empower them further from the source. When struck down, these creatures rise again to continue their unknowable mission.

Stats as Coffer Corpse, per Feind Folio (p. 11).

Fear Drinker

Negative energy breeds negative energy - and the corruption beneath the Watchtower is attracting malevolent entities. When this result is rolled, a Trilloch, per Fiend Folio (p. 89), is attracted to the party. It will follow them silently, attempting to remain unnoticed, poisoning their thoughts and mood, attempting to draw them to violence.

Splintered Dead

Flora grown from the graves of the first settlers. Groans in tones that sound like an archaic version of the common tongue. Stats as Needleman, per Fiend Folio (p. 67).

Phantasmic Seeker

A human form, wandering the flora, encountered at a moderate distance. It will be calling out, afflicted by something lost:

1d6	Result
1	The seeker is human, looking for its spouse. It will beseech the party for help: If the party does not help the seeker, it will enrage and attack. If the party helps the seeker, it will search for 2d4 hours uneventfully: at the end of this period, it will grow frustrated - blaming the party - and attack.
2-3	The seeker is a child, lost and looking for its family and home. The home is the Watchtower, but the family is long dead.  If the party helps the seeker, it will know the way - mostly - back to the Watchtower: curious, in that it was asking for help to find it - but upon arrival will suffer a breakdown, transforming into a more horrific form and attacking.  If the party does not help the seeker, or attempts to explain the situation to it, it will weep openly - but then disappear into the brush, wandering ever still.
4-5	The seeker is a parent, looking for a child, lost in the woods following a storm. The child is long dead - but the seeker beseeches them for help: If the party helps, there is a 1-in-6 chance over the course of two hours that they will find the child's bones. If this occurs, the seeker screams, pained, and disintigrates - leaving behind a large locket with a picture in it of the family to whom it belongs: if sold, this locket is worth 100 gold pieces. The seeker will continue seeking for 2d4 hours: if the bones are not found during this time, it vanishes, disintegrating unceremoniously into the air. If the party does not help, the seeker transforms and attacks. A seeker defeated in this context will not leave behind aforementioned locket. Generous GMs are encouraged to roleplay tertiary outcomes.
6	The seeker is an animal - a hunting dog - seeking its master. On a neutral or better reaction roll, the seeker will be friendly - attempting to lead the party to the Watchtower. While following behind the seeker's lead, no other random encounters or wandering monsters will occur to the party.

Stats as Astral Searcher, per the Fiend Folio (p. 13), excepting it is undead.

Public domain artwork respectfully pilfered from OldBookIllustrations.com on or about 7/16/2020. 
Attributions to piece and artist in alt text.