Previous Article - 6. Setting up combat encounters
Alright, so we have our combat encounters figured out, next we need to get our non-combat encounters set up and positioned accordingly. We will have three non-combat encounters, all of which are "technically" optional if they are avoided or not found. However, we have a "Secret" non-combat encounter which we will have in our back pocket in case the party chases a red herring.
Trap
We are going to go ahead and start with the trap first which we've placed in the right side hallway of the map.
Now, the "T" that we used to denote the trap can be a bit hard to see. So on the GM layer, I've used the Draw > Rectangle tool in order to add a red square around it.
With that, we can go ahead and add the trap information to our "The Silent Crypt" handout as well so we can reference its effects. I've included the example of this trap below if you'd like to copy/paste it or use it as a reference for your own.
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Sleeping Trap Add to the between Section 2 (The Encampment) and Section 3 (Prison/Brig + Storage) of "The Silent Crypt" handout. Details Triggering and Disarmament The mechanism can be disabled by jamming the mechanism with a small but sturdy pointed object (such as a piton) and a DC 14 slight of hand (dexterity) check. Failure to disarm the trap immediately activates the mechanism. Saves and effects Those who breathe the gas must make a DC 12 constitution saving throw or be incapacitated. If they succeed, they can hold their breath to exit the area. Those who remain and do not hold their breath must make a new saving throw every 6 seconds (1 round). Consequences If trap is disarmed: The cultists in Room 5 are not alerted and will make no effort to move on the party. If the group remains sneaky, they can get the jump on the cultists and begin with a surprise round! If everyone is incapacitated: Have the players awake in the Prison/Brig where they are bound by rope and watched by a guard. Their gear has not been removed as the cultists believed that they have been tied up well enough. The rope can be removed in a variety of ways–
If not everyone is incapacitated: Enemies will move towards the party and begin combat within 1 round by making ranged attacks into the cloud (disadvantage to attacks) making efforts to avoid prone targets who might be sleeping. The enemies can pursue through the cloud if they hold their breath to move through it. Sleeping players must be damaged or shaken awake by other players. If no one is incapacitated: Players can move away from the trap to avoid the gas cloud until it dissipates. The Cultists are still alerted by the noise and will move towards the party and begin combat as usual. |
Puzzle
With our trap placed, we can now look towards where our Puzzle should be located. In our example, we placed this in room 10 of our map just above the room itself.
With that in mind, lets go ahead and update the corresponding section of our reference document with the puzzles information. Again, please feel free to copy and paste the following for your own game or to follow along!
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Puzzle - Riddle Add to the bottom of section 10 (Prayer Room) of "The Silent Crypt" handout. Flavor Text The text reads “Where words are not spoken, but thoughts are heard. A time to seek guidance and ask for…” The inscription ends abruptly, but there is a large rectangle of smooth obsidian inlaid into the wall just after, almost as if it is expecting the ending be provided. Solution The trick to this is that the players will need to minimize sound for a few moments. In this case, the torches in the room are making enough noise and will need to be snuffed and plummeting the room into darkness. After a few moments of darkness and sitting quietly, there will be a subtle glow from lichen in the room. The lichen will make a path from the entryway to a specific part in the wall which houses a secret compartment containing loot. Hints
Rewards
One or two of these items should be a good amount for a group. However, you should feel free to adjust accordingly to your party or group size both in terms of amount of loot and power. The intention here is to offer a memorable moment of getting cool loot! |
Now, we mentioned a note, so lets make sure we have a note that we can actually share of course! To do this, lets make a brand new handout in our journal titled "Cultist Notes" and in it we can put their findings about the riddle.
Now this may be a bit on the nose to put the solution directly in the note -- but since it is reliant on action rather than just words it should still be pretty safe and help if the players get stuck.
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Cultist Notes I think I’ve almost figured it out. I’ve spent the last few days looking at this damned riddle. Everyone else says to “ignore it” and “it's meaningless” – but I KNOW there is something more. Everyone is just so loud and won’t leave me alone. And these torches with their incessant crackling! Who even lit these? I just want a moment of silence so I can think! |
When your players find the note, just open it up on your end and click the "Show to Players" button followed by the "Show to Everyone" button that appears in the prompt as well. This will ensure it appears in their journal so they can view it whenever they like!
Secret
With our two main non-combat encounters finished up, the last is to make our "optional" encounter in the form of a secret. This is a trick I've learned over time and wanted to share. This secret is intended for when your group has found themselves in a situation where they are stuck or are absolutely convinced that something else is in an area or there is something deeper they are missing.
Through a series of checks that players are likely already making (i.e. "Can I roll perception to find a door?" or "Can I investigate all the tiles in the room to see if any are loose?") we can try to reward them in an effort to move the story along.
While sometimes it can be humorous or fun to watch the party chase a red herring, it can definitely take a long time. So here are some ideas, feel free to add them to a handout if you like!
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Secret - Optional
Contents (Choose 1 or more)
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Again, the intention here is to avoid the flow of the game grinding to a halt. This should help get folks back on track, but if not, it never hurts to let the group know outright and out-of-character that they need to move on.