UK6 Enhancement - Random Encounters for the Temple

 

"Melan style" Flow Map 

for the Temple section

This is the first in a series of posts for the "All that Glisters..." project, a collection of additional material to flesh out the original UK6 module in order to adapt it to more modern design sensibilities.

As discussed in my review of UK6, one of the significant negatives of the module for me is its lack of "wandering monsters" to create, not only a sense of action, but also a sense of pacing, as such random encounters "tax" the party's resources and promote faster exploration.

For the fourth section of UK6, the Temple of Aumata-Perion (p24-30), I felt that this was  a particular issue and a significant missed opportunity. There is the potential for a more dynamic series of encounters as the Melan style "flow map" of the area does have a zone (labelled "Zone B" in the graphic to the right) with  "Type D" circular elements that create alternate paths that could be exploited tactically by a party, but it needs something more to drive this.

Based on an old post by Bryce Lynch, and a couple of articles he references, particularly this one on 1d8, I've constructed an encounter table that incorporates the "verb-based" principle and draws on some of the implicit factions (Kegen's family, the ghouls, the Hek) in the area to create the potential for interaction and a more dynamic exploration of the site.

Using the flow map zones as a guide, I've divided the table into 3 sections, populating it with some appropriate vermin (huge rats, monitor lizards), added a Hek exile, and created some encounters that I think illustrate the interactions between the ghouls on western side of the complex with Kegen and his family. The descriptions are short, they reference the location of the existing stat blocks within the module and importantly each contains a "verb" to create a sense of action.

There are different options within the different zones - rats can be found throughout for instance, but the monitor lizards and the Hek exile are only able to be encountered in the outer village. Similarly, of Kegen's family only Lilina and Acdame can be found in both the village and the temple complex proper. As Kegen has two set positions noted in the module, I've constructed it so he can be encountered elsewhere traveling on his rounds but will not be encountered outside.

The only locations outside the table are T1 Yatish d'Ladet (which I think deserves it's own keyed encounter actually), T14 the room holding Kegen's family, and the smaller ghoul crypts represented by T17 and T18 as they are both essentially just "monsters in the room waiting to attack" locations with limited access to explain wandering monsters.

Several of the encounters (Kopaz the Hek exile, Lilina, the 2 ghouls, Zetek with the ghast) are designed as mini set pieces that either link into the previous Ash Mire section (Kopaz, the Hek water thief and his deceased wife) or flesh out the backstory within the temple between the ghouls and Kegen's family hinted at in the module. I've centred the ideas for the encounters around the concept of Kegen's youngest daughter losing her favourite doll shortly before the party arrives to not only link the encounters together, but also introduce some moral dilemmas and provoke some different choices than a default murderhobo approach.

Note: the skeleton warrior is not included in the random encounter table - I see the encounter in the main shrine area as a set piece event, potentially complicated by the ghouls if the party is forced further into the complex towards T8 during the conflict triggered by the ambush at T6. If the characters flee the fight and it pursues them through the central circular part of the complex, the addition of several interactions with the ghouls and members of Kegen's family during the chase would make for an interesting complex and chaotic melee (roll on the Temple column using1d8+2 instead of the usual 1d12 to reflect this).