Hey /tg/, I'm looking for some help with encounter ideas for my D&D 5e campaign. My party is about to take a shortcut through Definitely-Not-Moria Dwarf Tunnels. They are leading a small force of about 200 human soldiers through this old Dwarven highway (low-way?) and I'm trying to populate it with locations other than simply "more bare tunnel".
I've got a bridge over a massive gorge with a cloaker, a cavern filled with various kinds of fungus, an abandoned Dwarven city smack in the middle (now populated by a tribe of Fomorians in conflict with some Galeb Duhr), and a subterranean river crossing with pretty waterfalls, glowing crystals andMind Flayers.
I'm trying to decide what to include as a final encounter to have the players running out of the tunnels for their dear lives at the end. Any suggestions for new stuff or regarding what I already have are greatly appreciated.
Bumping with dwarfy, cavey stuff.
>>43567352
Beholders (plural, mind you), can make ANYONE run away like there is no tomorrow. So they are always a fun one if you want a pure brawl reason.
A more schemy reason to run out of there asap would be Drow. If in this setting you are playing they are half as vicious as they are in Forgotten Realms than they Really, REALLY need to pick up the pace up to 11 at the merest sight of a drow party.
Alter-alternatively? Random Liches are always a cool addition to any game, especially because of the old tried and true factor for Liches where you increase the enjoyment you have with them the random-er they get. I mean, everyone knows Kangaxx at this point. And there is also Kharza-Kzad's case where he became a lich through a wand after falling into a volcano. The only question is how random can you get, really.
And last, but not least, any combinations of the above. Drow Lich enslaving Beholders? Beholder Mage controlling drow vampires? Drow manipulating a Death Tyrant? Etc.
>>43567352
>I'm trying to decide what to include as a final encounter to have the players running out of the tunnels for their dear lives at the end.
A giant black worm dripping with acid, a forgotten ancient horror of the underdark. The party are first accosted by a very large group of Mind Flayers (or Duregar or Drow, whatever you like). Before battle can begin in earnest there's a rumbling and the giant worm shoots up through the floor in the middle of the enemy group. A dozen are killed, the rest scatter in terror, the worm carries on up through the cavern roof. Maybe thirty seconds later there's a rumbling from above and the worm comes down through the roof, this time near the party (have them make some reflex saves to avoid falling rocks and the worm itself). This shit continues until the party get near the exit to the surface. The party may also have to fight some of the Mindflayers/Drow/Duregar in the midst of the chaos.
>>43568532
>>43568800
I like these very much, especially the worm. Somehow my brain had skipped over the classic Beholders entirely too.
