05/22/2023

Here is another random wilderness encounter that ChatGPT has created.

As the party trudges through the murky waters of the swamp, they hear a faint chanting sound in the distance. Following the sound, they come across a group of Lizardfolk gathered around a large stone altar. The Lizardfolk are performing a ritual, and it becomes clear to the party that they are summoning a powerful water elemental.

The Lizardfolk, however, are not pleased to see the party, and they attack without warning. The party will need to fight their way through the Lizardfolk, dodging their spears and shields, while avoiding the rising water levels that threaten to engulf them. If the party manages to defeat the Lizardfolk, the ritual will be interrupted, and the water elemental will be unable to fully materialize.

However, the elemental will still be partially summoned, and it will be angered by the interruption. The elemental will rise from the swamp waters, a massive wave that towers over the party, ready to attack. The elemental is incredibly strong and can summon tidal waves and whirlpools that threaten to engulf the party. The party must work together to defeat the elemental, using their spells and weapons to chip away at its watery form.

If the party manages to defeat the elemental, they will find a treasure trove hidden beneath the altar. Among the loot is a magical trident that can summon and control water elementals, a set of armor made from swamp plants that provide camouflage and protection, and a potion of water breathing that allows the drinker to breathe underwater for an extended period of time.

Sounds like a fun encounter… Let’s see what I can do to create this on the gaming table:

We will start with the swamp UDT in the center with some of the swamp trees ringing outside the UDT. It gives us the impression of trees without them taking up space on the playing surface. I would use my color LED to give a green glow to the area, enhancing the swampy tone of the encounter.

We place a stone altar on one end of the UDT and add four lizardfolk around it. We add some swamp/forest scatter terrain to the UDT to give the PCs items to control the battlefield. The PCs are placed on the far side of the UDT then we would start the encounter.

I would begin by rolling a D4 timer die and placing it at the edge of the UDT. In that many rounds, the ritual will be complete and the water elemental will appear.

I would place the elemental in the center of the UDT then have it attack the last PC to hit it. This would be a hard encounter for lower-level PCs, so I would ensure they were about 5th to 7th level before running it.

The treasure can be inside the altar as described. The armor would be light armor so I would allow any PC that can use leather armor to wear it. (Give it the properties of a Cloak of Elvenkind).

So, do you think I nailed it? Let me know in the comments!

Keep on gaming!