"En Route" is a compilation of twenty-one encounters or mini-modules
that DMs can use at any time. Most are designed to take about an hour of
play to resolve and take place when it's time to set camp and rest for the
night, when taking a break at the local inn or simply travelling the roads
and wildernesses of the world. A few take place in remote, exotic locations.
Here is a small sample of what's to be found in this book:
A member of the party is possessed by the drunken ghost of a halfling rogue
who died at the inn where the party is resting. The suddenly drunk and possessed
member will resume the rogue's activities and cause trouble.
The party sets up camp on the site of the abandoned temple of a dream demon.
The demon will infiltrate the PC's minds and each will face a personal challenge
in his or her dreams.
A very clever ambush is staged by a group of bandits using low-level magic
and bluff to appear more numerous and trick a more powerful party into giving
up some treasure.
An inn is suddenly turned permanently invisible, along with its occupants,
by the experimentation of a wizard not wanting to put his own lodgings at
risk.
The party comes across a group of goblins acting very strangely under the
effect of ergot, a naturally occurring fungus that is the chemical equivalent
of LSD.
While travelling on a sea vessel, the party has to deal with a magic jungle
idol that is part of the cargo. The idol starts summoning jungle animals
in the ship to understand its situation.
The party comes across a trembling hill, experiencing strange visions as
they approach. The hill is in fact an alien spaceship burrowed into the
ground as the result of a crash landing. The aliens are your typical cattle-mutilating
greys.
This book will be useful to DMs who want to set up small-scale events,
diversions from the main campaign and stimulating encounters that may or
may not have lasting effects on a campaign. There are a lot of very original
ideas in this book that can come in handy when the setting is appropriate
or when the DM has a limited amount of time to prepare his next gaming session.
Most of the ideas are very funny. While in some cases combat situations
are included, the focus of these encounters is definitely role-playing.
Most of the encounters have relatively low EL ratings because they are not
necessarily dangerous. Half of the encounters have an EL5 or lower and most
are EL7 or lower. Because of the small-scale nature of these encounters,
this book can be a useful addition to both DMs who play modules and DMs
who develop their own material.
New Rules:
New Magic Items: Acorn of Geas, Fairy Gold, Idol of the Jungle Temples,
two intelligent daggers, Ring of Rage, Ring of Self Changing, The Spirit
Mine
New Monsters: The Alien Engine, Gray Humanoid, The Hellcow - Possessed
Livestock, Phase Beast, The Speng, Stone Ape
