Secret Organizations

So, your PCs have wandered into town and are nosing around, eh? What better way to reward their nosiness than to let them discover a secret organization?

These hidden operatives work from the shadows to accomplish their purpose, hiding from not only the PCs, but also the other people in the town. Their mysterious goals may not be clear yet, but their existence cannot be denied.

But wait, what is this organization called and how do they recognize one another?

Secret Organization Name

1. The Circle of the Deathly Rose
2. The Order of Moonlight
3. Children of the Gathering Storm
4. Sisters of Adamant
5. The Silent Sinners
6. The Thrice Blessed
7. Bearers of the Cleansing Shadows
8. Weepers in the Unending Night

Badge of Membership

1. A silver crescent pin
2. A white hat
3. A copper necklace with a yellow stone
4. A spur on (only) the left boot
5. A false beauty mark below the right eye
6. Hair dyed a very specific, dark shade of red

Wandering Traveler

PCs tend to do a lot of traveling, especially in fantasy games. This could be part of the legacy of epic quest stories like The Lord of the Rings and the quest for the Holy Grail by King Arthur and his knights. It could also be because we want our games to have a large scope, covering many different lands and cultures.

Or it could be that we just want an excuse to use the Ice Troll Berserker and the Sand Dragon in the same adventure.

At any rate, until PCs get to be quite powerful, travel generally entails walking or riding across the lands. And on those travels, the PCs are likely to meet other travelers. After all, the world is a big place, and unless there is a very good reason, travel would not be uncommon. And when travelers meet, the least they can do is exchange rumors as they pass, right?

Wandering Traveler

1. A merchant caravan hauling exotic spices and oils from a faraway land
2. A minstrel with a broken lute
3. A vagrant beggar wearing a tattered red cloak
4. A priest/priestess willing to bestow blessings upon those in need
5. A con artist trying to sell worthless trinkets as magical charms
6. A patrol of royal knights who are in a hurry
7. An adventuring party with darkly mirrored members
8. A dragon with injured wings

Rumors

1. The monarch of the neighboring kingdom has fallen ill.
2. Dark elves are preparing to wage war.
3. An unnaturally powerful storm is on its way from the coast.
4. A cyclops has been seen in a forest a day's travel from here.
5. Gnome explorers have uncovered the City of Stone Mothers.
6. Wood elves are falling into comas with no explanation.
7. The mayor of the nearest town is offering a bounty for locks of dwarven beards.
8. Local halflings are holding an eating contest to choose their new leader.

Dogs

Dogs: one of the most devoted companions of mankind for around the last 30 millennia. I have two dogs. There's a fairly decent chance that you have a dog. And it's almost a guarantee that one of your close friends or family members owns a dog. So, why don't we see more of humanity's best friend in our RPGs?

My best guess is that people don't like to see violence against cats, dogs, horses, and other common, domesticated animals. This extends to books, movies, video games, and (I would bet) tabletop games, too. And because violence is the central focus of many RPGs, real-life animals are less likely to be involved so that we don't have to deal with violence against them. It's much easier to fight hell hounds and night mares than Great Danes or Clydesdales.

But say that you want to include dogs (or other animals) more frequently in your game. After all, lots of people own dogs in the modern world and throughout history. If dogs exist in your setting, why shouldn't they be as common? To that end, here are some ideas for introducing dogs in your campaign.

Dog Names

If you've got dogs, you've gotta have names, right? And if you don't want to use Fido, Rover, Rex, or Spot, here's a quick table of ideas.

1. Runda
2. Argos
3. Valla
4. Zunn
5. Stoic
6. Laika
7. Hruntling
8. Brutus
9. Chevron
10. Stella

Dog Duties

So, now your PC or NPC has a dog. What exactly does that dog do?

1. Supports someone with a disability
2. Keeps watch
3. Herds other animals
4. Hunts game
5. Tracks humanoid prey
6. Performs
7. Fights
8. Delivers aid and/or messages

Dogs in Combat

This is less of a random rolling table and more of a list of ideas and suggestions. But you could just roll and go with whatever comes up, if time is pressing.

1. Fight (solo): The dog has its own combat statistics and is controlled by the player or the GM. It can be the target of enemy attacks and spells.
2. Fight (coop): The dog attacks alongside its owner, granting a bonus. It cannot be targeted by enemy attacks or spells.
3. Hide: The dog knows to find safe shelter during combat, placing it safely out of the reach of enemy attacks and spells. It returns to its master after combat.
4. Handwave: During combat, everyone pretends that the dog does not exist. It does not attack and cannot be the subject of attacks or spells, even ones with an area of effect.

Monstrous Encounter: Bugbear

Most humanoid monsters have some level of intelligence and civilization, even if it is crude compared to humans or elves. Goblins and kobolds, orcs and lizardfolk, even the minotaurs and trolls have language and tribes. Bugbears are the exception to that rule.

For today's post, I'm going to talk a bit about a spin on the bugbear. In Dungeons & Dragons 3.5, they don't have much to distinguish them from any other humanoid monster. So, I thought it would be worthwhile to explore them and put out some useful content.

Bugbears

Bugbears are generally larger than humans, though not by much. They stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, and their hairy figures are often stooped over lower than that. Skin tones, fur color, and eye color varies wildly from one bugbear to the next. They lair individually, except during a 6-month mating period every few years. They will fight to the death to defend even a single bugbear cub. They prefer dry, dark areas, and often collect more food than they will eat. Bugbears are incredibly dangerous. They are strong and fast, with large teeth and long talons.

Physical description

1. A humanoid figure, about 6 feet tall but noticeably hunched over, staggers into the light. It is covered in dark red hair, thick and coarse, and its sunken eyes are pale yellow. Its movements are quicker than you'd expect for something of its size.
2. The creature looks up, the white fur around its mouth matted and stained with blood. Its eyes are completely black, and its yellow claws are stained with the life of the unlucky creature its hunches over.
3. The goblins scatter, opening a steel cage door as they do. A roar echoes from within, and a human-sized creature bounds out. Its fur is dark blue and its eyes are silvery-white, but not with blindness. It snarls and pounds its chest with clawed hands, preparing to charge.
4. But the last soldier is not an orc at all. It is humanoid figure, but stands almost 7 feet tall and is covered in patched brown fur. The orcs have strapped studded armor around it, and grafted iron blades onto its arms, making the beast even deadlier.

Lair

1. Just beyond the line of shrubs is a small garden area. An enclosed gazebo sits in the middle, well shaded from light and protected from rain. Lying in the gazebo is a yellow-furred bugbear sleeping atop a pile of fern branches.
2. The house has been abandoned for months, according to the villagers, but there are clear sounds of snuffling and movement from within. A peek through one of the shuttered windows reveals a black bugbear pawing at a cellar door, until it turns to the window.
3. The tunnels suddenly widen into a cavern, and light is coming from somewhere ahead. The floor in this area is sandy and littered with bones. Silhouetted in the exit against the midmorning light is a bugbear.
4. The trail leads directly to the campsite, as expected, but apparently the small, shady clearing has been claimed since last autumn. The fire pit has been dug out and a small clutch of colorful, mewling bugbear cubs wriggles in the dirt. A couple of large, angry, green-haired bugbear parents move to stand in front of the cubs and let out a pair of bone-rattling roars.

Hook

1. Bugbears have dragged off an entire herd of sheep over the last few days.
2. A bugbear has taken up residence in the prince's secret summer home.
3. A furrier is willing to pay handsomely for the pelt of a golden bugbear.
4. A bugbear cub wanders into the middle of a small village.
5. The local hedgewizard accidentally transfigures himself into a bugbear.
6. The King's Guard train against captive bugbears, but now several of the creatures have escaped into the city.
7. The Woodcarver's Guild will pay a bounty for each confirmed bugbear kill in the local woods.
8. A tribe of wild halfling warriors have tamed a family of bugbears and ride on their shoulders into battle.

Unique Monsters, Part 2

Yesterday I made a quick post about Unique Monsters™ in which I listed a handful of creatures you won't find in a manual of monsters or book of beasts. But I also described a method of creating Unique Monsters™ of your own using a simple method. Combine the physical forms of two different monsters, and add the special ability of a third monster.

So today, instead of just giving you another list of Unique Monsters™, I'm going to give you three lists that you can use to make your own beasts!

Body Form

1. Dragon (any color)
2. Troll
3. Medusa
4. Spider
5. Wolf
6. Hawk
7. Bear
8. Demon/Angel

Body Type

1. Made of stone
2. Covered in spines
3. Made of acidic slime
4. Skeletal
5. Incorporeal
6. Mechanical
7. All limbs separate from and hovering near torso
8. Roll twice and combine

Special Ability

1. Aura of electricity and lightning attack
2. Command of plants
3. Can grow to enormous size
4. Deadly shriek
5. Psychic blast
6. Hypnotism and mental command
7. Drains life with a touch
8. Can animate shadows

Unique Monsters

Do elementals exhaust you? Are you tired of trolls? Does the idea of dealing with dragons drain you? Then you need to add some Unique Monsters™ to your roster!

A Unique Monster™ is one that brings not only a fresh sight to your table, but also fresh abilities. But if the idea of coming up with these kind of monsters from scratch is intimidating or fatiguing, I suggest creating a quick patchwork of existing beasties. Take the form of one monster, mash it up with the form of another monster, and add the ability of a third monster. Voila! Something new and fresh for your table.

And speaking of tables...

Unique Monster

1. Half-elf, half-orc mage-knight mercenary
2. Blind albino black dragon
3. Blue half-dragon storm giant lich
4. Ooze dragon
5. Glass half-dragon succubus
6. Vampire beholder
7. Golden bear
8. Ash elemental

You may recall a similar table from back in February, this one is related to that one. Literally related, in fact, in the case of the glass dragon and the glass half-dragon succubus.

Rural Quests

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a list of villages and the oddities you could drop into those villages. But what if you want a normal village with normal people and normal problems? Maybe you're trying to make your world feel alive, maybe your PCs are level 0 and are off on their first quest (no matter how trivial it may seem), or maybe you're just using this as an opportunity to introduce people and places so that you can hold them hostage or destroy them later.

No matter your purpose, these tables are for you! The first two tables will randomly generate a plausible village name, and the third will give you a seemingly innocuous quest, which you can leave as is or fill with danger and excitement.

Village (part 1)

1. Stone-

2. Wood-

3. Wheat-

4. Gold-

5. Silver-

6. River-

7. Hill-

8. Black-

9. Iron-

10. Kings-

11. Queens-

12. East-

Village (part 2)

1. -hold

2. -bury

3. -ton

4. -field

5. -way

6. -burrough

7. -shire

8. -water

9. -ham

10. -ford

11. -port

12. -vale

Peasant Quest

1. Rescue 2d6 stranded sheep
2. Tend to an injured horse
3. Help bring in the harvest before the cold ruins it all
4. Find the chicken thief
5. Build a barn by nightfall
6. Fill the box with firewood
7. Calm the rampaging bull
8. Find 1d4 missing cows

Wild Elemental Creatures

I'm getting ready to start a campaign in which the natural elements of the world will play a serious role, so ways in which I can tie the elements into the world have been on my mind. Today, I've been thinking about how to incorporate the elements in creature encounters without defaulting to the standard elemental monsters from published materials.

The first table of creatures has a specific aesthetic, but you could just as easily pull from the bestiary or tome of monsters that you use and roll on just the Elemental Aura table.

Creature

1. A majestic lion with white fur and a silver mane
2. A ratlike humanoid with a long tail
3. A sleek, red fox with three tails
4. A human warrior with the head of a wolf
5. A graceful crane with glowing eyes
6. A bear-sized badger wearing clothes

Elemental Aura

1. A whirling vortex of wind surrounds the creature
2. Smoke puffs from its mouth and fire wreathes its head
3. Nearby water freezes and the air takes a dangerous chill
4. The earth trembles beneath its feet, as though ready to rise up
5. Plants sprout up wherever it stands, grasping at feet and legs
6. Iron and steel bend away as the creature approaches
7. The sky darkens and thunder rumbles
8. Roll twice and combine (ignore this result for the two new rolls)

Villages and Oddities

Filling out fantasy maps can be difficult work. In my experience, describing all of the various villages and hamlets in detail is not only a waste of time (what are the odds your players will visit even half of them?), but also counterintuitive. Better, I think, to create a list of interesting places and drop them along your PCs' path as they travel. Sort of like a random encounter table, but for settlements.

To use this kind of mapping/travel method, you'll need (probably) at least three things: the name of the community, the name of the tavern, and something interesting to keep your PCs from just moving on without hesitation. If you recall, I've previously tackled some tavern names, but today I'm going to present tables on village names and on oddities; oddities are those unique features that will (hopefully) draw in your players.

Villages

1. Hillhold
2. Strawton
3. Riverway
4. Woodbury
5. Bellhome
6. Stonewood

Oddities

1. A traveling merchant selling one-use wands
2. A magical talking scale that settles trade disputes
3. A tree that bears "ironfruit" (nuggets of refined iron ore)
4. A seamstress who can sew enchantments into wool cloth
5. A bronze pole 10' high, 1' in diameter that emits a subtle hum as the PCs walk by
6. A talking dog
7. An ogre helping build a barn
8. Constant, never-ceasing rainfall

Villains: Backstory, Motivation, and Backup Plan

Villains! Everyone loves to hate them. Not every game has them, and not every game that does have them, needs them. But most games I run have some sort of villain or another. They might be evil for evil's sake, they might be spurned lovers out for revenge, or they might be misguided heroes who believe that the ends justify the means.

But if you're using a villain, there are some basic things you might want to consider.

Backstory

Surely your villain didn't just pop into being as a fully formed adult antagonist! Where did your villain come from?

1. Apprentice: Apprenticed to a brilliant master who favored another apprentice over you
2. Urchin: Alone since childhood, you raised yourself, taking what you needed and giving nothing back
3. Slave: Grew up as a slave to cruel masters until you finally escaped
4. Orphan: Raised in a loving, caring home, but had it all taken or destroyed before your eyes

Motivation

World domination is so clichéd, but even if you do use that, it's not motivation by itself. What is the reason your villain wants to dominate the world?

1. Greed: A life of feeling unfulfilled drives your villain to want more and more.
2. Lust: Your villain is fixated on a person or thing and won't stop until it is safe in their clutches.
3. Revenge: A crime (real or imagined) against your villain drives them to punish all those involved.
4. Greater Good: Your villain is convinced that this is the way to make the world a better place, at least for those who deserve it.
5. Bound: Your villain is upholding an oath or is otherwise being forced into this course of action.
6. Power: Your villain is chronically insecure, and the only way they can feel safe is if they have the power to put down anyone else.

Backup Plan

Your villain's plans are foiled, but the PCs were merciful or foolish, and the villain has escaped destruction. What now?

1. Turn over a New Leaf: Repent and join a group that does good
2. Reset: Try to undo the actions of the PCs via magic, prayer, or time travel
3. Vengeance!: Forget your other plans and plot a horrible revenge against the PCs
4. Try Again: Come at the same plan from the opposite direction (e.g., use trickery instead of violence or a small organization instead of a large one)
5. Villainous Merger: Join forces with another villain and work towards their plan
6. Go into Hiding: Slip into the shadows and work your villainy far from the eyes of the PCs
7. Back to the Drawing Board: Start on a new plan with a new goal, but which furthers your existing motivation
8. Phase 2: Your plans are far from foiled, the foolish PCs have played right into your hands...

Elf Weapons

Elves, they're everywhere. Love 'em or hate 'em, if you are involved in the RPG hobby, you can't avoid 'em. Personally, I think elves have their place in some settings. The Tolkienian elves can be interesting with the right backdrop, and less aloof elves can have a significant impact on a settings politics.

But if you've got elves, chances are they're fair handy with a bow and arrow, and probably with a blade, too. And it's usually safe to assume that your elves are masters of the arcane (or perhaps a more natural magic). So, elf + (swords, bows) + magic = treasure!

Magical Elf Bows

1. Whispershaft – Creatures hit by arrows from the bow are magically muted
2. Longdraw – The bow is useless against targets closer than 600 feet, but excellent beyond that
3. Eagle's Talon – Arrows fired from the bow pierce armor
4. Melody's Chorus – When fired, the bow emits a haunting note
5. Featherstrike – Arrows bury themselves in the target up to the fletching
6. Eternal Is the Pain – Arrows splinter as they enter the target

Magical Elf Swords

1. Whiteedge – Formed from a dragon's talon, it drips milky acid
2. Orcrender – A serrated sword with a thirst for orcish blood
3. Starglint – In starlight, the steel glows with inner power
4. Bite of the North Wind – A steel blade always coated with deadly frost
5. Sound of the Tiger's Roar – A short black sword that disorients its targets
6. Fang of the Forest – A curved sword whose wielder can command plants
7. Illiana's Vengeance – A fiery sword that burns hotter as it nears its goal
8. Lightning-on-earth – Blinding sparks crackle along a thin silver blade

Setting Generator

A game's setting is the keystone of any campaign.

We've got to speak to the king as quickly as possible, you say? Does this setting have communication magic? Flying mounts? Wait, does it have smart phones? Without setting knowledge, players will be at a loss, unable to see into the game any further than the ends of their characters' fingertips.

For a lot of GMs, designing a setting can be fun, even a chance to stretch those creative muscles. For others, it's just a box that has to be checked off before play begins. A setting generator, then, can be a boon for any GM. For those who love designing settings, it can provide inspiration; for those who just want somewhere to stage their game, a generator allows them to jump straight into the game.

This particular setting generator is fairly straightforward, providing: a primary government, the level of technology, the environment, the general tone of the action, and a place to begin. Obviously, this leaves much unsaid, but those details can be filled in manually by the GM or naturally by the group as the game unfolds.

Who governs the setting? (d4)

1. A benevolent emperor, blind to the corruption in his government
2. Ruthless princes and princesses vying for power using every method at their disposal
3. An immortal queen whose subjects are beneath her concern
4. A strict chancellor chosen by the people to guide them through political strife

What is the technology level of the setting? (d6)

Age: community type; weapons and tools available; centers of trade

1. Stone age: families and clans; basic hand tools; individual bartering around the fire
2. Bronze age: city-states; metal weapons and tools; markets with local products
3. Powder age: colonies; firearms and refined tools; markets with global products
4. Industrial age: nation-states; complex weapons, tools, and vehicles; markets with mass-produced products
5. Information age: global; automated weapons, tools, and vehicles; global market chains with mass-produced products
6. Space age: interstellar; energy weapons, tools, and vehicles; individual machines that produce custom products

What kind of environment dominates the setting? (d8)

1. A wasteland of burning sandstorms by day and arctic frost by night
2. An endless expanse of water dotted with artificial islands made of unknown material
3. The merciless void of space between the ramshackle starports and outside the thin walls of ancient starships
4. A towering forest of enormous trees (hundreds of feet in diameter) that bathe the ground in eternal darkness
5. A labyrinthian city of fallen towers and shattered streets filled with the detritus of the distant past
6. Craggy, storm-plagued mountains whose valleys and passes are guarded by battle-scarred redoubts
7. The filthy underworld of a crime-ridden metropolis devoid of morality
8. An ocean in the west, mountains in the east, deserts in the south, tundra in the north, and a mix of plains, hills, and forests in the middle

What are the players' characters going to be doing? (d10)

1. Exploring ancient ruins and fighting monsters
2. Bringing "civilization" to strange, faraway places
3. Righting wrongs and protecting the innocent
4. Skulking in the shadows and committing crimes
5. Dealing with truths that "man was not meant to know"
6. Investigating mysteries and dispensing justice
7. Exposing corruption and greed
8. Surviving the harsh and unforgiving world
9. Performing odd jobs of dubious morality
10. Roll twice more and combine

Where does the game begin? (d12)

1. In transit as the transportation begins to crash/die/fail
2. In a meeting place filled with dangerous and desperate individuals
3. In the darkness, the captured prey of a dangerous predator
4. In the presence of the setting's ruler, being granted an official pardon
5. At a council of war with danger fast approaching
6. Arriving home minutes ahead of an impending catastrophe
7. Gathered around with others, drinking and recounting local legends
8. In a high-stakes game of chance against an influential opponent
9. In the midst of a celebration about to be cut short by a shocking revelation
10. At the grave of a friend, looking for answers
11. Moments before the discovery of a powerful new weapon
12. Stepping into an abandoned home that is haunted by its past

Monsters: The Spice of Life

Monsters are the bread-and-butter of the fantasy, supernatural, and horror genres, and if you call them "aliens," they're pretty much the same for science fiction.  Most RPGs come with a tome of terror, manual of monstrosities, or a book of beasts, some reference guide just chock-full of inhuman goodies to throw at your PCs.

But any GM can pull a monster out of the book, slap it on the table, and start a fight.  Next time you open the book and find yourself staring at the entry for "Wimblewurm, Desert" find a way to spice it up.  What would transform your players' encounter with a Desert Wimblewurm from a fun way to pass the time into a memorable encounter they'll be talking about all month?  Use these examples as presented or as inspiration for your own, probably better ideas.

Outcast

Not all monsters fit into the mold assigned to them by the rules.  And no, I'm not talking about switching your monster's alignment and giving it a pair of scimitars.  The monster can still be evil, or still be chaotic, or whatever, but it has different priorities than its kin.  Because of that, it was exiled by its kind, unwelcome, if not outright hated.

Outcast Monsters
1. Lizardfolk architect
2. Fire giant scholar
3. Gold-hoarding giant eagle
4. Elf-friend warg

Unique

Even monsters that fit the mold of their society can be interesting.  Give them something that makes them stand out from their kind, a special power, a trait, or even make a one-of-a-kind creature (my favorite) based on other monsters.

Unique Monsters
1. Blind beholder* clairvoyant
2. Giant halfling
3. Awakened sparrow magician
4. Formorian-nighthag crossbreed
5. Glass dragon
6. Half–giant-centipede, half-human

Legendary

Even outcasts or unique monsters can become trite or clichéd.  But the best way to avert that (while doing it anyway) is to call it out in-game.  The red dragon with a heart of gold doesn't surprise you?  Of course not, everyone's heard of Gorfanion the Generous.  In addition, turning an average monster into a legendary monster gives you the opportunity to work in backstory, setting details, and plot hooks.

Legendary Monsters
1. Glyph, the goblin assassin-mage
2. Kuk'kir, the black half-dragon minotaur
3. Svernthl, the mindflayer* warpriest and emissary to the mortal kingdoms
4. Japhime, the fallen deva
5. Sorrowful Queen of Bones, the death-touched displacer beast*
6. Glardulanth, the awakened sequoia
7. Onedraw, the orc sniper
8. Cortès, the jackalwere bounty hunter


* Blah, blah, something, something.  These are D&D monsters owned by those wizards that live by the coast.

Company and CEO Names

Names can be a tricky subject. As a game master, world builder, and/or adventure designer, you've probably made your way through a big list of fantasy names already. You've reused, borrowed, and modified names from history, mythology, books, and film.

What's that, you say?  You're running a modern, post-modern, or futuristic game?  And you don't want to just steal names from the real world?  Well, then, have I got a trio of tables for you.

If you're running a modern or futuristic game, your players are much more likely to have dealings with tech and security companies than with any other type of company, at least in my experience.  And your players won't be content to deal with underlings, they'll want to take the actions straight to the top: the CEO.  In that light, here are three tables to help you generate those names on the fly, or to inspire you to create names of your own.

Tech Company Names

1. Dynamic Circuitry Innovations

2. B&W Production (Boards and Wires)

3. Dyson-Calvin Computing

4. ITS (International Technical Solutions)

Security Company Names

1. Secutron Ltd.
2. Uberwatch Security
3. Stack Security Services Inc.
4. Surety Security
5. Vanguard & Co.
6. Castle and Moat Protection Agency

CEO Names

1. Zhang Min

2. Anees Dahm-Rahmani
3. Blythe Bankworth

4. Ruben Rodriguez

5. Maurice Zadeh

6. Carmen Stojkovic

7. Alistair Edgeston

8. Janavi Motirimani

I hope you weren't expecting anything St. Valentine's Day themed today.

Random Encounters I

I'm not a big fan of random encounters.

By which I mean that I don't like sitting at the table, during a game, and rolling on a table to decide what (if anything) is going to attack the players while they're busy doing something else, like sleeping.

I do like random encounter tables, though, because they can provide inspiration in the planning stages of a session.  And I like wandering monster tables for dungeons, because they can add to the theme of the dungeon and even move the plot along.

So, maybe I am a fan of random encounters, as long as they're done well and used sparingly.

At any rate, I like making random encounter tables, so here's one for a generic high-fantasy setting.

Roadside encounters (fantasy)

1. A poorly dressed peasant selling trinkets from a shoddy wooden cart
2. An unconscious woman with disheveled blue wings
3. 2d6 bandit elves who are masquerading as traveling minstrels
4. A depressed titan
5. 1d4 lycanthrope children (siblings) who are hiding under an overturned cart
6. An abandoned cart full of weapons and armor of varying quality and material
7. A red flag planted in the middle of the road
8. A young, silk-adorned red dragon charging a toll to pass through a canyon