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Dollar Dangers are Pay What You Want quests & encounters you find yourself doing in between adventures. They can be obtained from bounty boards, tavern patrons, local law, etc. Each Dollar Danger is broken down into digestible information:

• The Overview - What is this task or encounter about? Mostly information the Game Master needs to run it.
• Setting - Where does it take place?
• Objectives - These are the requirements to complete the encounter.
• Enemies - How many enemies are there and what are they?
• Encounter Start - Sometimes this is a hook, other times just a drop into the action.
• Traps/Puzzles - Are there any traps or puzzles? If so, here they are.
• Tactics - Suggestions for how the adversaries should behave.
• Aftermath - Tells you how things may go based on the party actions.
• Treasure - What do they get?
• Conclusion - Now that it's over, what's next?

You can read it here for free, or pay for the print-friendly PDF download.

Sometimes the rules change or our understanding of them does. If that happens, we may update the file. When that happens, you will receive an email letting you know and you can download the updated copy for free.

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The Owlbear’s Lair

In the village of Greenwood, fear grips the hearts of the villagers as a ferocious owlbear prowls the nearby forest, claiming victims and livestock alike. With disappearances mounting and the threat growing, the village elder, Rowan, has issued a desperate plea for brave adventurers. Will you venture into the dark, dense forest, track down the fearsome beast, and restore peace to Greenwood? The fate of the village rests in your hands.

A Two-Hour Adventure for 1st - 4th Level Characters

Summary: A ferocious owlbear has terrorized the local village of Greenwood. Villagers have gone missing, and the beast has been sighted near the outskirts of the forest. The village elder has called for brave adventurers to hunt down the owlbear and restore peace to Greenwood.

Introduction

The adventurers arrive in Greenwood, a small village on the edge of a vast and dense forest. They are greeted by the village elder, a wise and weathered man named Elder Rowan, who explains the dire situation. Over the past month, several villagers have disappeared, and livestock has been slaughtered. The sightings of the owlbear have become more frequent, and the village is living in fear.

Rowan asks the adventurers to venture into the forest, track down the owlbear, and eliminate the threat. He offers a reward of 200 gold pieces and a Ring of Protection from the village's limited treasures.

Into the Forest

The adventurers set off into the forest, following the owlbear's clues and tracks. The journey through the dense woodland is fraught with challenges, as they must navigate the terrain and face other dangers lurking within. Tables for traps, encounters, and hazards along the journey can be found in Appendix A: Random Tables.

Journey Details:

• Navigating the Forest: The dense forest presents natural obstacles such as thick underbrush, uneven terrain, and hidden pitfalls. Adventurers must use their skills in Survival and Perception to avoid getting lost or caught in traps.

• Encounters: Along the way, the party encounters other forest creatures, such as a pack of wolves, giant spiders, or a territorial treant. These encounters test the party's strength and resourcefulness.

• Environmental Hazards: The forest also contains natural hazards like quicksand, poisonous plants, and treacherous streams. The adventurers must be cautious and use their skills to navigate these dangers safely.

Tracking the Owlbear

The adventurers continue their journey deeper into the forest, using the clues and tracks they have gathered to locate the owlbear’s lair.

Tracking the Owlbear:

• Perception and Survival Checks: The adventurers must make Perception (DC 12) and Survival (DC 14) checks to follow the owlbear’s tracks. Success indicates they are on the right path, finding broken branches, tufts of fur, and the remains of its recent kills.

• Clues from Brynn: Brynn, the seasoned hunter, provides insights into owlbear behavior, such as preferred nesting sites and common hunting grounds, which can grant the adventurers advantage on one Survival check.

• Environmental Signs: Signs of the owlbear’s presence become more frequent. The adventurers might find large claw marks on trees, areas where the underbrush is flattened, and the distinct smell of a predator marking its territory.

The Lair:

• Location: The owlbear’s lair is a deep cave in a rocky outcrop in the forest. The entrance is partially obscured by thick foliage, requiring a Perception (DC 15) check to spot from a distance.

• Approach: The adventurers must decide how to approach the lair. Stealth (DC 13) checks can allow them to get close without alerting the owlbear. Failure means the owlbear is aware of their presence and may ambush them.

• Lair Features: The adventurers find evidence of the owlbear’s recent meals and a nest made from leaves and bones inside the lair. The environment is cramped and dark, with narrow passages that limit movement and give the owlbear a home-field advantage.

Encounter:

• Ambush or Stand-Off: Depending on whether the adventurers succeeded in their Stealth checks, the encounter can begin with an ambush or a stand-off. The owlbear will use its knowledge of the lair to strike from the shadows or charge directly if provoked.

• Tactics: The owlbear fights with ferocity, using its multi-attack to target one adventurer at a time. If heavily injured, it may retreat deeper into the lair, using narrow tunnels to limit the party’s ability to pursue or surround it.

• Hazards in the Lair: The lair itself presents hazards, such as unstable rocks that can fall (Dexterity save DC 12 to avoid) or narrow passages that can trap adventurers (Athletics DC 14 to escape).

Aftermath and Return to Greenwood

With the owlbear defeated or driven off, the adventurers must now deal with the aftermath of the encounter and make their way back to Greenwood.

Aftermath in the Lair:

• Loot and Clues: In the owlbear’s lair, the adventurers find the remains of previous victims and valuable items. This may include:

• Coins and small treasures amounting to 50 gold pieces.

• A +1 weapon or piece of armor left behind by a previous adventurer.

• Clues pointing to other dangers or treasures in the forest, such as a map fragment or a cryptic journal.

• Healing and Rest: The adventurers may need to rest briefly to recover from the battle, using hit dice to regain health and spells. The lair provides shelter but remains dangerous due to potential rockfalls and residual effects of the fight.

• Evidence of the Kill: They should collect evidence of their success to present to Elder Rowan. This could be the owlbear’s head, a giant feather, or a distinctive claw.

Journey Back to Greenwood:

• Return Path: The journey back may be less perilous, but the adventurers must still navigate the forest. Perception (DC 12) and Survival (DC 10) checks help avoid remaining traps and hazards.

• Wandering Monsters: Use the d6 wandering monster table to determine if they encounter any creatures on the way back. Adjust difficulty based on their current state.

• Potential Allies: On the return journey, they might encounter Brynn, the hunter, who can assist with navigation or offer healing supplies.

Reception in Greenwood:

• Welcoming Return: Upon their return, the villagers of Greenwood greet the adventurers with relief and gratitude. Elder Rowan meets them at the village edge.

• Presentation of Evidence: The adventurers present the evidence of their success to Elder Rowan. The elder inspects the evidence and thanks the adventurers for their bravery.

• Reward Ceremony: A small ceremony is held in the village square. Elder Rowan rewards the adventurers with 200 gold pieces and a Ring of Protection.

• Brynn’s Gratitude: Brynn, if reencountered, offers additional information or assistance for future quests, establishing him as a recurring ally.

Future Hooks:

• Additional Quests: During the celebration, villagers may approach the adventurers with other problems or quests, such as missing persons, mysterious ruins in the forest, or strange occurrences in nearby towns.

• Clues from the Lair: The clues in the owlbear’s lair could lead to further adventures, hinting at deeper secrets within the forest or connections to more significant threats.

 

Appendix A: Random Tables

The frequency and timing of rolling on the tables can significantly impact the pacing and difficulty of the quest. Here's a guideline for when and how often the GM should roll on the provided tables:

Guidelines for Use:

1. Balancing Encounters: Use these tables to balance the number of encounters and hazards. If the party has just faced a problematic encounter, consider skipping the next roll or reducing the encounter's difficulty or hazard.

2. Narrative Flow: Ensure that the frequency of rolls does not disrupt the quest's narrative flow. If the story is reaching a critical point or too many encounters would slow down the plot, adjust the frequency accordingly.

3. Player Engagement: Monitor the players' engagement levels. If they are enjoying the challenges, maintain a steady frequency. If they become frustrated or fatigued, ease up on the encounters and hazards.

Forest Traps Table

Roll once at the beginning of each travel segment or when the adventurers enter a new and particularly dense forest area. If the party is actively searching for traps (using Perception or Survival), reduce the frequency to once every two segments.

Wandering Monster Table

Roll for a wandering monster encounters every hour of in-game travel or whenever the party makes a lot of noise (such as during a combat encounter with another creature). If the party is particularly stealthy, reduce this to once every two hours.

Environmental Hazards Table

Roll for an environmental hazard once per hour of travel or whenever the adventurers enter a particularly treacherous area (like crossing a stream or moving through a thick underbrush). If the adventurers use skills like Nature or Survival to find safe paths, reduce the frequency of these checks.