Friday, December 19, 2014

1d10 Twisted Christmas Encounter Table 'The Ourskirts' & 'Byways' For Your Old School Science Fantasy Campaigns

Between November 12th and December 30th, the gates of Zebulara burst open as monsters, lunatic Fey creatures, and the souls of a million dead explode upon to the 'Byways' and 'Outskirts'. These realms of the dead border the astral and the Plane Prime of a billion alternate worlds. They hunger for the living and no force can deny them. Or so they think.
The holiday of Christmas originally marked a feast day of the dead for myriad of alien and alternative civilizations, but the dead far out numbered the living and were never given their 'Final Rewards'. 'The Christmas' was simply another seal against the coming darkness and forces of beyond backed up by a plethora of divinities but even gods die. And with loosing of the seals. The 'dark forces' let loose across time and space. 
Those who tread the dimensional barriers often use the shortcuts of the Byways and Outskirts across the planes but not when the Twisted Christmas holidays draw near. For dead souls, gods, Fey, and worse are let loose to feed for a while but as with all things. The forces of light and bright blessings burst forth to enact the ages old cycle of Law and Chaos. Once again the forces of darkness are brought to heel but often not before they cause untold harm upon a myriad of worlds.
Often space travelers, dimensional trackers, and plethora of innocents get caught in the crossfire between these parties of forces.
Here's a quick list of encounters that can point to far greater dangers out on the 'Byways' and 'Outskirts' that can be used to spice up an encounter with these 'dark forces'. 


Twisted Christmas Encounter Table 'The Ourskirts' & 'Byways'


  1. 1d8 Lemures hell bent on claiming a victim for their dark masters being driven on by a Barbed Devil handler with a whip and chains 
  2. 1d8 skeleton warriors and dark fairy hunter with enchanted bow and arrows looking for fresh victims. Armed with swords and shields 
  3. A wall of rot grubs bursts from a nearby tunnel or wall. 
  4. A gaggle of night hags looking for fresh victims to drag back with them to the under world. They ride in a sled driven by unholy things that might be demonic or undead. 
  5. A 3rd level necomancer followed by two clouds of unholy fey looking for souls to drag back for his dark masters. 
  6. A spawn of 1d8 gargoyles looking for fresh prey and souls to feast upon and perhaps a tasty morsel to toss to their nest mates. 
  7. A gaggle of Ghasts chasing down a group of 1d10 clerics of a god running like mad men who will promise help in return for add. They are carrying some minor temple treasures. 
  8. 1d10  Soul lights (count as Will o'whisps) that are the souls of the dark looking for prey and they are followed by a Dark Fey handler who will direct them for hunting of the souls of the unjust or anyone else they come across.
  9. A soul spawn of 1d100 ghosts escaping from bounds of the damned. There is a 30% chance of one of these damned souls attaching itself to a PC's shadow and following them until a vulnerable moment them attacking.  
  10. 1d100 pounds of soul slime that oozes out looking for victims to add to itself. The stuff is nauseating and there is a 40% chance of retching from the smell of the rotted guts, bile,and gore. Unless a save is made fighting the undead horror from beyond. 
Notes 

  • Monsters take double damage from energy weapons and if 'destroyed' simply dis corporate for a year and a day only to return next year. 
  • Clerics may call upon their powers to rebuke or banish these horrors at any time if they remember to in the terror. 
  • Anyone killed by these horrific horrors can not be raised as their souls join with the damned. 
  • Weapons of 'Law' do double damage to these horrors & count as one extra +1 against these forces. 
  • Symbols of the gods of law and justice will hold these things at bay. 
  • Turning works as normal but double the rolls on the chart after a successful turning. Representing the anger and frustration of the Damned of Misrule. 

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