randomized encounters via looking at stuff.

[Kobold_paladin?]

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/3/3c/DragonspearConcept.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20200311185709

what should go in this castle?
where should it be?
i want to see what the community thinks, for fun.





...i am clearly bored.

[Bobthewizard]

In Faerun, let's go with the Akanapeaks (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Akanûl). Its civilization destroyed by the spellplague and now haunted by a grey dragon.

[Kobold_paladin?]

In Faerun, let's go with the Akanapeaks (https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Akanûl). Its civilization destroyed by the spellplague and now haunted by a grey dragon.
i'm sorry, i don't know if i clearly missed something in my many d&d books but, what's a grey dragon?

[Bobthewizard]

It's not a real monster in 5e. If you are the DM though it's fun to reflavor things to throw your players off. I'd use whichever base dragon you want and change the damage to necrotic. Or maybe just use red dragon stats but have it be a blue flame a la GOT.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Fang_dragon

Edit: When I read to the bottom, it says they had an acid breath weapon. So just use black dragon stats.

[Aett_Thorn]

Clearly there should be a large tribe of Kobolds there, who worship the skeleton of the dead dragon, believing that they can bring it back to life.

Given the Spine of the World mountains in the background (so says I), it should be somewhere south of them, and I'll say that it is east of Mirabar, along the Mirar River to justify the gorge and bridge.


For a higher-level encounter, it is filled with the spirits of the humans that died defeating the dragon, including the King.

[J-H]

Nice picture. Salient details I noticed:
Dead dragon skeleton on top: Something in there could kill a dragon. Also, the dragon's flesh has had time to rot, but nothing has pulled the bones apart.
Has been abandoned long enough for almost all of the roofs to be gone, and for trees to grow up inside: Likely a couple of hundred years ago.
Hasn't been rebuilt: Is cursed or isolated.
Central tower/keep is somehow intact: Could be something there.
Road in/out is still intact and not overgrown: Something's been using that road extensively.

Not sure what party level you are building for, so I'll just throw some generalities out.

In the woods: Fey creatures, including fauns or satyrs. Possibly 2-5 druids (wild elf-y types) who are enjoying the rewilding, and help ward against whatever evil is in the castle, to keep it from spreading. May include unicorns w/ lair abilities in this.

In the castle underground: Kobolds have turned the mostly-intact dungeons, fortifications, and rooms into a warren of traps and passages, with the aid of some death dogs and enslaved earth mephits. The kobolds are in awe of the dragon skeleton and don't want it disturbed. They also want shinies from any visitors.

Below the underground: This castle ties to a giant underground lake (may or may not have passages to the underdark). The kobolds get much of their food supply from fishing in this lake. There may or may not be an aboleth present, using this as a refuge while it recovers from a failed plot a half-century ago. If there is one, it uses its kobold slaves to conceal its presence.

In the castle ruins: Ghosts of defenders who died in the final assault, and ghosts of their attackers - a large party of gith allied to a colossal++ dragon. Due to the involvement of limbo, a couple of corners have Slaad eggs or something similar waiting to be disturbed.

In the central castle: Several golems or helmed horrors that continue to operate on their programming to destroy unauthorized intruders. Unfortunately, nobody who can give authorization is left alive...

In the keep: A shadar-kai necromancer and several minions. They extort food and supplies from the kobolds, and have hinted that they may one day be able to animate the skeleton. They have also found a small clutch of dragon eggs that were in the corpse, and may or may not have hatched them. The necromancer might be a lich or other undead. Three of the ballistas spread around the central castle have been repaired and are operated by skeletons under his command, and will fire on anyone who tries to fly or climb over and gets spotted.

Around: A small village of halflings; they have walled themselves off from the rest of the castle, and have sufficient slingers and divine casters to repulse the kobolds. They do not want the status quo upset, as they fled here 150 years ago when the nation they were part of was overrun by barbarians. It's a quiet and safe place. Nobody talks about how they send their old and infirm to the necromancer instead of letting them die and be buried in peace.

Some representative loot, in appropriate locations (including on enemies, hidden in crevices, etc.):
A githyanki silver sword.
1d4 +1 Dragonbane spears
A magical bowstring tied to a rotted bow. The bowstring adds 2 points of thunder damage to arrows fired from any bow it's tied to.
Dragonslayer helm (under the dragon): Immunity to fear; 1/day, wearer can use a reaction to grant himself resistance to fire, cold, and acid damage for 10 minutes.
Various full plates and fire resistant armors
A cabinet full of healing potions
Boots of striding & springing (gith)
Slippers of spider climb (kobolds)
A collection of royal jewels, hidden behind a concealed (DC25 investigation check) door in the treasury area.
Shattered Blade: Adamantine Dagger +2, the remnants of a royal sword. The enchantment is still in effect; it can be attuned to by a good-aligned creature, and does +1d4 radiant damage on hit. Requires a level 15 wizard and high-level smith and 5# of adamantine to reforge into a longsword.
Shield of the Faceless Guard: Requires attunement, shield+1; grants Disguise Self like the Hat of Disguise
Wand of Magic Missiles: on the Kobolds
Wand of the war mage +x: On the Shadar-kai.

[Keltest]

Those look like Kobold ruins to me. They don't care about so much about the ruins, but they have tunnels and bases in the hill underneath. They were servants to the dragon, but it got killed in action so now theyre a little lost, worshiping its corpse and trying to learn necromancy (badly) to bring it back.

[Kobold_paladin?]

thanks guys, i appreciate the help.