DM Vault · Solo Play · Reference
Combat encounters (Book 1)
Resolve with your open D&D rules (or a simplified single-player procedure). Ids match Combat: \id\` directives in book-01-the-road-to-ethium.md`.
Combat encounters (Book 1)
Resolve with your open D&D rules (or a simplified single-player procedure).
Ids match **Combat:** \id“ Deadly relative to a low-level party).
| Id | Name | Foes (sketch) | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
goblin-road-ambush scimitars) | Medium | Fake-gold lure; Loki can warn before surprise | ||
goblin-dice-fight | West cave passage | 2 goblin warriors | Easy–Medium | Arguing over bone dice; Nibbles may sneak |
goblin-boss-cavern | Great cavern | Goblin boss + 2 warriors + Ratbag (giant rat) | Hard | Mara in cage; Loki vs Ratbag is flavourful |
blue-moon-brawl | Tavern brawl | 4–6 Hammer thugs | Medium | Non-lethal preferred; patrons may help |
manor-cellar-guards | First cellar | 3 Hammer thugs | Easy–Medium | Camp clutter, crates as cover |
rulden-chamber | Rulden’s hall | Rulden (mage) + swordsman + plated fighter + 1–2 thugs | Hard | Green magic vs Thorn’s shield |
manor-tomb-skeletons | Family tomb | 4 skeletons | Medium | Sleep fails on undead |
river-wolves | Night camp | 3–4 wolves | Medium | Often on Derek’s watch |
axe-beak-herd | Burial mounds | 3–5 axe beaks | Hard | Sleep can drop some |
waterfall-climb | Behind the falls | Goblin archers + 2 bugbears | Hard | Split party = two mini-fights |
tower-camp-ambush | Tower approach | Hammer archers + thugs (1 hooded runner) | Medium | Climbing gear as loot |
alcove-zombies | Stair sludge | 3 zombie adventurers | Medium | Triggered by the shiny axe |
garnel-rescue fire bolt) after round 1 | ||||
ethium-pool-wizard | Pool chamber | Undead Ethium wizard + 2 zombies | Deadly | Boss; Nibbles at risk of going down |
Defeat handling
Unless a passage says otherwise, defeat means turn to a failure ending (e.g. 110 / 111) or a softer “captured / driven off” passage if you prefer low-lethality play for younger players.