Folded Steel Random Encounter Table
- The Whirling Demon
- Water Monitors
- Bandits
- Ashigaru
- Giant frogs
- Brown Bear
- Commoners
- Serpent Eagle
- Giant Hermit Crab
- Daitengu
- Spider Women
2. The Whirling Demon
Ogata Otone, also known as the whirling demon. She roams GekkĹshima seeking a worthy opponent. If she encounters player characters below level 6, she won't bother fighting them and will attempt to leave instead, considering them a waste of her time.
If the party insists on fighting, Otone will fight until she reduces an opponent to 0 HP. If they choose to surrender, she will mock them and leave; they arenât even worth killing to her. If they continue fighting, Otone will sheathe her sword and try to leave again. She has taken an interest in the character and doesnât want to kill an opponent that might have potential.
I couldn't find a good image for this one, just imagine Akuma tbh.
- HD 10 AC 16 HP 46 Saves D6 R7 H8 B9 S10 Att 3x Demon Swords (+8 1d8), Speed 30 Morale 12 XP 1600
- You are already dead: If Otone is below 20 HP, she can make a desperate attack, cutting dozens of times in a flash. The target must make a Save against Doom or die. Otone is too exhausted to continue fighting after performing this move.
What do you find? 1d6
1-2. You come across 3 dead Yahagi Clan Ashigaru, along with one who is stunned, but alive. The survivor, Fumito, explains that they were attacked by a single bushi wearing a demon mask. She wielded two swords at once and defeated the group without breaking a sweat. He doesn't know why she left him alive.
3-4. You come across 2 bushi dueling in a clearing. One is wearing heavy armor with the arrow symbol that marks them as a member of the Yahagi Clan, the other is Ogata Otone wearing a blood-spattered kimono beneath a horned mask, and wielding two swords. Neither duelist wants to be interrupted, but if they are, they will agree to reschedule their duel for another time and part ways. If the duel is allowed to continue, Ogata Otone soon kills her opponent. She screams afterwards and hacks the body to pieces with her swords, before calmly sheathing them and walking off.
5-6. You come across a woman in a horned mask and a bloody kimono cooking fish over a fire, a pair of swords at her hip. Ogata Otone is preparing camp for the night and offers to allow the players to rest with her and share a meal. She wonât answer any questions about her past, but will willingly explain that the bloodstains are from samurai she killed; she has no explanation for why, beyond that she needed to see if she was stronger.
3. Water Monitors
Big Dumb lizards. Good swimmers. More scared of you than you are of them.
HD 3 AC 14 HP: 11 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 1x claw or bite (+3, 1d8) Speed 20 (can swim) Morale 7 XP 50
1-2. You discover a rotting log that a pregnant water monitor has settled down in. You can see something shiny behind her in the log. She hisses whenever you get close.
- The shiny thing is a small piece of obsidian that magically warms the area around it to around 80 degrees (worth 250 ryo). The Monitor likes it because it keeps her warm.
3-4 You come across 1d4 water monitors picking at a human corpse. The corpse looks like it was slashed several times. The water monitors attack anyone who gets within 15 feet of the corpse.
5-6 You find two water monitors trying to court another. They take turns nudging the third monitor and sticking their forked tongues at her. Eventually, the female monitor picks one of the males and crawls into a hovel beneath a stump with him while the other slinks off. If the mating is interrupted, the water monitors attack, and the males have +2 morale as they aim to impress the female.
4. Bandits
Contemptible thieves and muggers that haunt the roads and forests between towns.
- HD 3 AC 14 HP: 4 Saves D14 R15 H16 B17 S18 Att 1x knife (+0, 1d6) Speed 20 Morale 7 (9 with leader) XP 5
What do you find? 1d6
1-2 1d4 + 1 Bandits approach you directly. Their leader, Iori, tells the player characters directly that he aims to kill them and take all their valuables. They attempt to do just that! (see Bogbean Bandits Camp)
3-4 1d4 +1 Bandits are skulking around searching for a magical plum tree (see Plum Forest). They have been searching for days and are frustrated that they canât find it, but they arenât opposed to multitasking and will mug a party they outnumber, or one that looks injured.
5-6 You see 2d6 Bandits harassing a merchant palanquin guarded by 3 Ashigaru. Ard Egbers, a Dutch sailor, is in the palanquin. He is traveling to meet with Yahagi Tomoe to talk about selling her firearms, a business idea he has not run by his captain.
5. Ashigaru
Commoners working as paid soldiers/guards. There's a 3 in 6 chance they serve the Yahagi Clan, otherwise they serve the Mori Clan.
- HD 2 AC 14 HP: 9 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 1x Yari (+1, 1d8) or Yumi (+1, 1d6, ranged) Speed 20 Morale 9 XP 20
What do you find? 1d6
1-2 Roll a second random encounter. 1d6 Ashigaru are trying to deal with it violently.
3-4 1d6 Ashigaru approach the party and demand rations and water from them, citing their clan's authority.
5-6 1d6 Ashigaru are setting up camp. If the party is on neutral or good terms with their clan, they will allow the party to stay the night and share their food. Players do not need to eat a ration or keep watch.
6. Giant Frogs
Big ol Giant frogs. Most of them eat fish and reptiles, but particularly big ones go after humans.
- HD 2 AC 12 HP 10 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 1x tongue lash (+1, 1d6) Speed 20 Morale 8 XP 25
- Poisonous: Touching the frogs with bare skin afflicts toxins. The character must succeed at a Save against Doom or spend 1d6 turns prone, babbling nonsense.
What do you find? 1d6
1-2. 1d4 Giant frogs are sitting perfectly still near foliage. They are waiting for prey and will attack anyone who approaches them.
3-4. In a shallow pool, you see hundreds of little black spheres linked together by a string-like substance. These are toad eggs. 1d4 toads will return in 5 minutes to violently protect their eggs.
5-6. You find 2 Commoner's on the ground between 1d4 +1 Giant frogs. The commoners are babbling incomprehensibly, and the frogs are nibbling at them. Theyâve become afflicted with the frogâs poison.
7. Bear
It's a Bear. You don't need a description. You know what a bear is.
- HD 4 AC 13 HP 18 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att: 2x claw (1d3), 1x bite (1d6) Speed 20 Morale 7 (12 around its cubs) XP 75
What do you find? 1d6
1-2 A brown bear is staring into a small pond. Eventually, it lunges in and catches a fish.
3-4 A brown bear is curled up beneath the shade of two trees. It is just drifting off to sleep.
5-6 A brown bear is foraging for berries from bushes and leaving them in a pile. It will aggressively defend its berry pile.
8. Commoners
Regular citizens from nearby settlements.
- HD 1 AC 10 HP 3 Saves D14, R15, H16, B17, S18 Speed 30, Att 1 (+0 1d6), Morale 6 Morale 6 XP 5
What do you find? 1d6
1-2 Roll a second random encounter. 1d4 commoners are attacking or being attacked by what you roll.
3-4. A group of fishermen or hunters is walking back to town carrying a big haul. They are friendly and can give directions to a lost party. They also sell rations.
5-6. 2 commoners who are lost and struggling to find the nearest town. They are wearing expensive clothes and jewelry.
9. Serpent Eagle
Eagles that primarily hunt on the ground, using their speed to snag mudfish and amphibians. Has a loud 2-note call.
- HD 2 AC 12 HP 9 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 2x talon (+3, 1d3) Speed 20 (can fly) Morale 8 XP 25
- Eating a serpent eagle requires a save against doom, or you get an avian flu, which causes warts on the face for 1d4 weeks
What do you find? 1d6
1-2. An eagle is in a tree protecting its nest from a crow. Its baby is behind it as it stares the crow down. Another crow creeps up behind the nest. If no one intervenes, there is a 1 in 6 chance the eagle will scare the crow off. Otherwise, the second crow sneaks up and snatches the baby eagle away.
3-4. An eagle is stalking around the mud, occasionally snapping forward and coming up with a snail or lizard. The eagle will attack if the party looks injured or encroaches on its hunt.
5-6. An eagle is perched in a tree; it stares at you intently. Attacks if the party attempts to climb the tree.
10. Giant Hermit Crab
A 700 square foot crab with a building-sized caramel swirled shell on its back. The Hermit crab wanders around Gekkoshima, munching on the huge swaths of vegetation in the swamps and forests.
The crabâs shell is tilted slightly back, leaving an opening just big enough to crawl through. A lobster Ronin named Ise lives within, using the crab as a means of transportation.
Hermit Crab
- HD 6 AC 14 HP: 28 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 2x claw (+6, 1d8) Speed 20 Morale 8 XP 650
- Spin The hermit crab violently spins. Creatures within 5 feet of it make a Save vs Doom or take 1d8 damage.
Inside the Shell
The inside of the shell is divided into several rooms arranged in a spiral pattern. Crawling through the opening in the shell leads to room 1.
1. Entrance
Size: 25x25
Dimly lit by glowing red and green coral branches extending from the shell wall. A katana rests on a rack in the corner of the room, coated with dust.
- The katanaâs sheath is ocean blue and depicts a rainbow of different fish. Its wielder can breathe on both land and water, and speak and understand fish.
- The Coral provides light as a torch. It can be broken off the wall, in which case it provides light for 1 hour.
- Exits: North up a staircase into room 2
2. Trophy Room
Size: 50x50
A 30-foot pit with spiky shells at the bottom divides this room into two halves. Claw marks blemish the walls beside the pit. On the north side of the room is a display case containing a preserved octopus tentacle, in front of a wall of blue and green medals made from sea glass.
- The Spiky Shells deal 1d8 damage to anyone who falls on them.
- The Claw marks are from the Ise crawling along the wall to bypass the pit.
- Ise cut the Octopus tentacle off of his rival many years ago.
- The Medals are labeled in fish. They honor the samurai for his loyal duty to King Tixon VII.
- Exits
- South down a staircase to room 1
- North through a hallway to room 3
3. The Heart of the Crab
Size: 15x15
An oblong ruby stone is suspended in the center of the room, connected ceiling to floor by pulsating violet sinews. The stone's glow is all that lights the room.
- The Stone is the heart of the hermit crab. Its magic keeps the crab alive. The stone can only be damaged by explosives or disintegration. It is hot to the touch.
- If the stone is destroyed or removed from the sinews, the shell shakes and buckles. in 1d10 minutes, it will collapse, dealing 6d6 damage to any creature still inside.
- The Sinews are fleshy and slick with salt water. They can be cut through easily.
- Exits
- South down a staircase to room 2
- North into room 4
The Lobster's Room
4 Lobster shells are erected against the walls, each on two human-like legs. A tattered kimono lies on the ground among piles of empty mussel shells.
- One of the Lobster shells is Ise, using his moulted shells as decoys for intruders. If the players investigate the shells from a distance, they notice that one of them moves.
- Ise is a bipedal lobster ronin. He was exiled from King Tixon's undersea kingdom for accusing his closest retainer, an octopus, of plotting against the king. For his service, he was granted this hermit crab to take into exile with him.
- Emotional State: Depressed, unsure life is worth living.
- Speech quirks: Can't even pretend to be interested in non-fish matters.
- Wants: To return to Tixon's kingdom, or find a new lord that will take him on as a samurai.
- HD 4 AC 16 HP 18 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att claw (+3, 1d6) Speed 20 Morale 4 XP 125
- He usually uses the katana from room 1, but doesn't have it on his person right now.
11. Daitengu
You see a red-faced, birdlike man being attacked by a red-skinned oni and a blue-skinned oni. He is lithely dodging their cumbersome kanabo strikes, but itâs taking all his focus.
What do you find?
You see a red-faced, birdlike man being attacked by a red skinned oni and a blue skinned oni. He is lithely dodging their cumbersome kanabo strikes, but it's taking all his focus to do so.
If the party helps the Tengu:
- Akechi will set aside his dislike of humans for the moment and thank the party for their help. He will explain that some yokai on the island are creating an alliance to oppose humans on the island, but the Tengu have been unwilling to join so far. They dislike humans, but don't care to kill them.
If the party helps the Oni:
- They turn around and attack the party immediately afterward.
If the party helps neither:
- Thereâs a 3 in 6 chance the Tengu narrowly defeats the oni. Otherwise, they defeat him. Either way, the surviving party is left injured and does not want to fight the party.
Daitengu
- HD 6 AC 12 HP: 24 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 3x martial arts (+6, 1d6) Speed 20 (can fly) Morale 9 XP 350
Oni
- HD 4 AC 12 HP 16 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att Kanabo (+3 1d10) Speed 20 Morale 8 XP 75
12. Spider Women
Spider/human hybrids that can disguise themselves as humans for hours at a time.
- HD 5 AC 12 HP 22 Saves D12 R13 H14 B15 S16 Att 1x bite (+4, 1d2 + poison), 1x Stomp (+4, 1d4) Speed 20 Morale 9 XP 175
- Poison: Save vs hold or spasm for 1d6 turns
What do you find? (1d6)
1-2. 1d2 Beautiful women who claim to be lost. They hope to be invited to travelersâ camps so they can seduce someone into spending time alone with them. Then they attack.
3-4. 1d2 3-foot wide spiders with the bodies of women are feasting on the flesh of 2 dead travelers. Violent if approached.
5-6. You spot 1d2 3-foot wide spiders ahead of you. They donât seem to have noticed you yet. They attack humans on sight, but if the fight is going against them, they will reveal their human half to attempt to negotiate.