Lets build an Encounter Table!

[Surzt and Gurzt]

Hello Playgrounders! I come requesting help for an awfully specific set of monsters/encounters, random or not, for a campaign I am running.

The background: The ancient city had a technology/magic level superior to anything seen after their civilization (they had sciences of space-age level around the time other civs. were undergoing feudalism). One day, they destroyed as much of it as they could find, believing they were putting other races/the world in danger (thats the simple explanation). And left to live in the wilderness as enlightend sages/wisemen. The city has lay abandoned for several hundred years.

The situation: The PCs are looking for a McGuffin in the ruins, while competing with an evil cabal of psions, augmented humans (Naga'thu from Tome of Horros) and a rouge ancient who wants to use the tech. for evil.

Stuff I already have planned: Ruin Chanters/Elementals, Evil Fey from the Unseelie Court searching for something they gave the civ. many years ago, Golem Remnants/Obselete Golems still carrying out their programming, savage tribes descened from the ancients and a pack of predatory giraffes.
Any suggestions?

[SamBurke]

I don't think you need a random encounter table. What you need is just a bunch of characters/NPCs/monsters ready. Stick whichever one's most appropriate.

As we know from OOTS, Random Encounters are just a waste of everyone's time. :P. Which is... why I use them.

Also, just write up a list of monsters that might work and grab one off of it.

[Surzt and Gurzt]

Also, just write up a list of monsters that might work and grab one off of it.


Alright then, any suggestions? I've leafed through some books and nothing has fit the theme I want, although the MASSIVE amount of golems in both WoTC products and Tome of Horrors has me thinking.

[MukkTB]

The predatory giraffes sound fun. I agree that I like the idea of determining who is in the area during the adventure. At least a list of prominent NPCs and notable(boss) monsters.

I think you need to flesh out the civilization better. How did they acquire power? Nuclear reactors? Bound Elementals? Magical perpetual motion machines? What did they do with the power? Did they have teleporters? Did the have subways? Did they have electric lights or mana powered light cantrips? Did the have Tippyverse produce food traps?

Then what what the city about. I guess if it was a one city civilization it would have to have all its own industrial production cause no one else would be around to sell them products of that tech level. Figure out a plausible high tech city. Then wreck it.

As I see it we got this breakdown.
Local animals: Rats, Giraffes, Monkeys, whatever...
Remnant Tech Monsters: Golems, Robots, Bound Elementals, Insane AIs...
Scavengers:Fey, Goblins, Humans, Sentient Species Here to Loot...
Tech Mutated Abominations: Supermutants, Radioactive Zombies, Giant X, 3 Headed Dogs...
The Undead:Mindless Zombies, Restless Engineer Ghosts, Remnants, Revenants...
Evil Cabal Of Psions: Whatever it is they do.

You don't have to include all categories. If the city was just abandoned without alot of people dying there the Undead might not be needed for this one. If there aren't radiation sources the Mutants can sit this one out ect.

Edit - People who abandon their tech to go live in the wilderness can get eaten by bears. You want to do something good? Use your tech to feed the hungry or something. Good luck living in a mud hut urban city dweller.