Tuesday 19 January 2021

Jungle Ruins




































Jungle Ruins: Return To Monster Island
When you land at monster Island hopefully it is one of the civilised missions or settlements where you can become acclimatised and recruit some of the degenerate scum we generously call explorers. Once you have hired mercenaries It is time to raid the jungle looking for natives to rob or enslave or the graves of the dead to defile. Watch out for the monsters and the local people who seem unimpressed by our efforts to save them from reptilian domination and show them, proper human gods. Mind that treasure you steal from before demon cult idols it is probably cursed and you probably have the shakes for life. 

Probably every 500m in the jungle you may spot some hidden structure.
Stay alert for encounters with dinosaurs or native cultists or strange sicknesses.
Handy for islands or quick explorations

d12 Basic Structure Type
1 Stone lined well 2m wide 6m deep with spring at bottom
2 Bridge over a d4 1=water 2=canyon 3=other road 4=lava
3 Stone monolith with carving in a d4 ancient languages
4 Shrine stone with outdoor altar and idol
5 Small stone single room house with ancestral remains buried under floor
6 Stone tower d4 1=astronomical 2=military watch 3=wizard 4=religious
7 Estate d4 1=country house 2=noble estate 3=noble mansion 4=royal palace
8 SInkhole or cave entrance into underworld complex
9 Cleared square with statues of monster gods and carved monoliths
10 Sacred hill, d4 1=tomb 2=shrine and idol on top 3=small temple on top 4=huge altar and idol
11 Tomb Pyramid d4 1=underground chambers 2=crypt under ornamental capstone 3=temple complex inside with sarcophagi 4=mausoleum complex and shrine inside
12 Ziggarut Temple d4 1=altar and shrine on top 2=huge statue on top 3=small temple on top 4=temple complex inside

d12 Condition
1 Ruin well maintained and repainted by descendants of builders
2 Ruin intact bare stone structure with some paintings intact
3 Ruin covered in green moss, algae, lichen and vegetation
4 Ruin covered in vines and bushes
5 Ruins smothered in trees that overgrowing and fused into rock
6 Tons of loose rubble over ruin area
7 Ruin sinking into mud and water with some areas flooded
8 Rubble and trees have overgrown most signs of habitation
9 Ruin has fallen into a sinkhole or partly swallowed into a cavern or canyon
10 Landslide and mud buried most but the tallest structures visible among vegetation 
11 Ruin in the bottom of a lake in pristine condition, perhaps some above water
12 Strange raised building shaped area in bog patch and reeds

d12 Modern Era Inhabitants
1 Tribe of painted natives who hate all invaders and worship naga 
2 Tribe of dinosaur cult reptile folk in ancient bronze armour
3 Tribe of demon worshipers who want sacrifices to please their evil god
4 Bat folk worshipping their vampire goddess
5 Colonials occupied as camp d4 1=slavers 2=colonists 3=mercenaries 4=explorers
6 Frog folk cult waging war against other folk and caring for tadpoles
7 Cannibal cultists with fierce scarification and shrunken heads
8 Snake folk wizard with lizard folk and human cultist servants
9 Dragon and slave tribe d4 1=kobolds 2=humans 3=elves 4=goblins
10 Jungle halflings with sharp teeth, blowpipes and nets 
11 Dragon templars colonists escaping persecution and seek dragons to worship
12 Wizard has been here for research for decades with servant d4 1=undead 2=kobolds 3=orcs 4=beast folk abhumans made in lab, hated by other locals

d12 Common Ruin Monsters
1 Family of raptor dinosaurs hunting area
2 Allosaurus hunting area
3 Gibbering mouthers often in wells or pools
4 Mummy beastfolk in headdress dwells in some crack
5 Giant Frogs often like to croak or rooftops and wallow in water
6 Giant snakes commonly dominant preditor
7 Sabretooth cat clan prowl through here
8 Hideous mutant horror lair
9 Carnivorous ape clan
10 Lesser demon
11 Olive slime or yellow musk creeper and zombies
12 Young dragon lair 

d12 Wonderous Ruin Features
1 Waterfall and water features 
2 Fountains and pools
3 Strange volcanic vapours from a vent in the earth
4 Huge relief statue and text carved into a huge monolith
5 Remains of strange apparatus of glass, semi-precious stones and metal
6 Full of plants with native fruits and other food plants
7 Strange whistling noises from wind through ruins
8 Haunted by spectral minions and phantasms of ancients
9 A deity or mighty spirit watches over the ruins
10 A great treasure sacrifice was abandoned or hidden here
11 A magical relic was sealed away here
12 Magical inscriptions of value to scholars, wizards and cults is engraved here

d12 Common Native Treasures
1 +1 Lip Plug of protection
2 Nose piercing makes the wearer immune to d4 1=paralasys 2=poison 3=fear 4=disease
3 +1 Magic wooden club with beast carved into haft
4 Venom frog can tip arrow a day save or take 1HP/Round for 2d4 rounds 
5 +1 Blowpipe +3 vs reptiles, 2m long pipe d3 darts 
6 Javelin of Striking, automatically hits one foe then shatters in bundles of d4
7 Sling of Stars, flung stones cause d4 magic fire damage instead of blunt weapon damage 
8 Frog Mask, breath water for hour per day
9 Holy Ochre +2 AC and +2 save vs fear lasts turn, in jar with d4 doses
10 Shrunken Head +d4 HP once used up by damage gone for good, bundle of d3
11 Throwing stick +1, d4 if hit running away target, they need save or trip over
12 Holy Mushroom, if eaten save or spend 4d6 hours vomiting and having visions of being eaten by native pictograms, if succeed contact a planar being for a d3 questions

d12 Ancient Ruin Relics
1 Serpent Staff, turns into 
Constrictor snake 3HD AC7 2d4 grapple d4bite turn a day
2 Face of Glory Medalion, detect planar beings in 6 range
3 Crown of Bat Teeth can summon a bat swarm once a day for 3d4 rounds
4 Stone Dagger +1 +3 vs d4 1=undead 2=fish 3=frogs 4=reptiles (includes beast folk)
5 Macuahuitl +1 2d4 obsidian edged war club +3 vs d4 1=law 2=chaos 3=undead 4=dragons
Bird Feather Cloak, feather fall at will while worn
Jade Idol, any who take this resist curse or become paranoid and jealous enough to kill, worth at least 100gp
8 Serpent Medalion, 2 headed snakes entwined cure light wounds twice a day
9 Idol of Corn God, if given 1HP blood will produce one days worth of corn once a day
10 Mortar Stone of Ancients, can add salt or chilli flavour to any ground food
11 Drum of the frog, if beaten during a storm will attract at least 1000 frogs to join in
12 Copper charm, size of a coin can ignite fire by touch at will or cut as a knife or use as scraper often with the depiction of face design

d12 Problems For Colonial Invader Camps
1 A tribe declare war on the campers
2 A tribe try to incite many local tribes to attack with slander
3 Some monster has learned to prey on inhabitants and avoid guards
4 Some strange jungle spirit lures some explorers away to never be seen again
5 Someone breaks out in a horrible local disease
6 A monster expects tribute for dwelling in the area
7 Magical being is scrying on the camp with magics
8 Some evildoer summons monsters often against invaders d4 1=elemental 2=undead 3=demon4=dinosaur
9 Someone in the expedition is secretly a cultist and has made contact with a local cult
10 Essential supplies short d4 1=food 2=water 3=rope 4=ammunition
11 A local magical monster sends minions to test the explorers camp
12 A local spirit is offended by strangers in area without due reverence to them

d10 Quick stuff in jungle types
1 Statue
2 Monuments
3 Relief art
4 Small structures
5 Industry
6 Animal
7 Vegetal
8 Remains
9 Native
10 Magic

d100 Stuff in the jungle
01 Statue of a snake-headed philosopher with triangular tablets with unfamiliar script
02 Statue of vampire bat goddess covered in breasts and suckling bats
03 Statue of monster d4 1=dragon 2=demon 3=dinosaur 4=tentacled god from beyond
04 Giant enigmatic toad god on plinth in meditation
05 Statue of yoked suffering human staves carrying palanquin of a squat frog lord
06 Statue of pterodactyl man-god with outstretched wings with altar before him, touching altar gets noticed by giant pterodactyls expecting a free meal
07 Statue of squid faced humanoid or just a huge tentacled head
08 Statue of spider goddess gleefully about to eat whatever is placed on an altar before it, piles of silk sacks of ape-thing bones are stacked around altar by something
09 Statue of reclining serene lizard sage in robes with dancing reptile followers
10 Statue of fish folk sage with a trident and stone tablets of ancient script
11 Enigmatic giant stone reptilian face heads
12 Circle of stones d4m high, some dolmen have fallen, an altar is in the centre
13 Stone dolmen with niches for severed human heads refreshed by a tribe
14 Border stone with carvings of clan and god symbols
15 Path side stone with arrows and names in several languages
16 Wooden tribal totem pole from some huge tree with fierce unfamiliar divinities 
17 Tree has native carvings on it and has been used for some rituals
18 Three huge stacked stones with signs of d4 1=tomb
19 Carved stone hexagonal obelisk with brutal laws of land and ancient castes in several languages
20 Stone altar with idol covered in blood and other signs of regular use
21 Cliff with tribal rock art 
22 Cliff with script in three ancient languages detailing new laws or treaty
23 Relief rock art of lizard maidens dancing alluringly in a pool with water lilly and lotus flowers
24 Relief of gigantic monster king commanding minions d4 1=lamprey folk 2=fish folk 3=lizard folk 4=insect folk to capture, torment and exterminate wailing prisoners d4 1=humans 2=ape creatures 3=demihumans 4=goblinoids
25 Relief carving of monster king in chariot with guards observing slaves building great monuments 
26 Dancing figures etched into stones some have horns or tails or ears and sizes vary, dance around d4 1=shaman with drum 2=campfire 3=water hole 4=
27 Relief carving of lounging frog king and daughters in cliff partially submerged in a lilly pond and huge bugs and frogs thriving
28 Carving of several beast folk sages on pilgrimage to get blasphemous scrolls from far away guided by the evil star sent by those beyond in the outer void, carving includes a relief map area of ancient pre cataclysm kingdoms many now under the sea
29 Relief carving of coast or river where robed cultists present sacrificial creatures to a gigantic fish god a trident in one hand and victims in a net in other. Sacrifices are d4 1=goblins 2=humans 3=ape-things 4=frog folk
30 Releif carving showing great monster kings of old but some of the older have been smashed away mostly and new ones added by less skilled artist thousands of years later showing how the monster kings internal politics changed
31 Mysterious perfect circle hole cut into rock, entrance of ancient shrine
32 Stone sarcophagi on plinth weighs d4 ton to move sealed lide, carvings of some fierce wonder worker inhuman king or hero of the ancient ones depicted on lid
33 Sinkhole drops into subterranean shrine and pool often a lair of a creature or spirit 
34 Simple one chamber stone box-like tomb with a beastman warrior mummy and treasure inside
35 Rock floating in air weighing 3d4t with carvings d4 1=ancient scriptures 2=face of an ancient pre human wizard with magnificent headpiece 3=script about how a divine being made this rock float 4=monument to some ancient conqueror king who even commanded the cocks and sky and sea
36 Pilgrims shelter with shrine of a minor divinity 1=beast folk god king 2=dragon 3=demon 4=toad on plinth 5=naga 6=tentacled thing with eyes 
37 A basalt stone disc plug weighing 4t holds a creature from beyond in a stone pit, it is ver angry and skeletons may be inside used to lure the beast into a trap long ago
38 Boulder in hillside shows signs of being moved in past, inside d4 mummified bodies on plinths rest with treasures
39 Multiple 2d6 stone pits with skeletons in bottom used for some grisly purpose
40 Huge smooth stone spheres and polygons some with ancient arcane symbols used in some spell over the land long ago
41 Large stone building with mostly broken huge clay pipes from it into the earth, strange stunted plants and fungi and bugs live here with mostly bare soil patches
42 Strange collapsed stone tower full of huge bronze and wooden cogs
43 Stone boat somehow crashed here, a magical flying transport from the age of forbidden magic, remains of wizards may be found and often a creature possibly a wizard servitor remains
44 A metal pole with a glowing orb on top that becomes brighter by night attracting bugs and frogs
45 Stone building with huge slave powered wheels used to grind grain
46 Stone bakery building where thousands of loaves were made to feed slaves
47 Stone bath house where slaves were marched through a now murky pool and given treatments to remove lice and parasites. Murals depict slaves being drenched for worms and images of slaves infested with worms and ticks, slaves from many races being herded by insect folk soldiers 
48 Quarry with remains of incomplete stone monoliths and idols, bones of workers in slave pits and remains of stone quarry tools
49 Crude mine entrance with small smelting area out front where ingots were cast in stone moulds carved in rock. Several stone cauldrons and many tools lay about, soil is poisoned and bare earth from poison chemicals used here
50 Remains of smithy with furnace, stone cauldrons, moulds for crude swords, helms and greaves, now overgrown with weeds
51 Giant ant or termite nests or mound of a giant of the species, 3d4m high

52 Giant bee hive, a resource local natives and creatures enjoy
53 Giant wasp nest often with d4-1 paralysed prisoners and a d4 corpses
54 Huge tree with opening stuffed with worm eaten corpses by a carrion crawler
55 Trail of trees smashed down where some huge beast passes recently
56 Trails made by animals often connecting water and lairs or grazing areas
57 Huge spiderwebs choke area turning it into a maze, animal bones are scattered about and flies and bugs scavenge on remains
58 Burrow of giant tarantula it shares with d6 giant poison arrow frogs 
59 Large area of loose soil d4 1=ground squid 2=land shark 3=giant bug like an antlion 4=giant carnivorous mole
60
61 Vegetal cage with d3 natives are trapped inside, grown by savage vege people tribes worship here and fatten their food here or as bait in an ambush. Sometimes cage is inside base of a huge tree or somehow just grown by plant folk gardening secrets 
62 Patch of carnivorous plants around idol of a cruel plant goddess
63 Colossal tree with fetishes hanging from branches with the shrine of a tree divinity
64 Gigantic fungus often rich in bugs often attracting a giant toad
65 Tree with corpses or severed head hanging from branches in hundreds, the tree seems to be feeding from them with roots holding skeletons together
66 A dryad tree here, the dryad long ago appeared as a reptilian to be worshipped but she is happy to adopt a more up to date human form and attract new lovers
67 Treant guardian sits by an idyllic stream or idol of the forest father
68 A great tree is home to a colossal snake with d4 1= jewelled beard 2=gold skin 3=feathers 4=d4 horns, it is a minor nature divinity and expects tributes and worship, it may reward polite guests with lore
69 A huge bamboo framed humanoid figure 3d4m high with animal and other sacrifices being prepared for burning by natives for a festivity. Sacrifices rescued are often ungrateful and were looking forward to serving a god
70 A treehouse with walkways to other trees and limited ground access is high up in a huge tree possibly occupied d4 1=local tribe 2=long lost colonials gone native 3=undead remains of inhabitants 4=now a monster lair
71 Small wooden hut of hermit or loner d4 1=lost explorer 2=native who broke taboo 3=last of tribe 4=elderly holy person

72 Small wooden shack in run down conditions with snakes and bugs crawling about, decorated with skulls home of a hag or witch
73 Small village with wooden 4m tall wall and woven roof, those inside are secretive and fearful of diseased foriegners who just want treasure
74 Several shacks where a school of martial artists of various species train under a great master
75 Small shack on stilts near water with a canoe d4 1=tribal fisher family 2=lost insane explorer 3=undead 4=lone escaped slave, now elderly
76 Small shack built into hillside, sacred smoking lodge for smoke purification ceremonies by natives who may have touched invading foriegners d4 1=tribal war band relaxing 2=recently used 3=monster or undead lair 4=lone low status attendant who lives here with child and collects fire wood
77 Elaborate wooden hut covered in talismans and fetishes and severed heads, medicine hut of a great shaman with 2d4 assistants and students and visitors. Locals avoid violence here and several tribes will swear vengeance on any who harm the holy ones
78 Concealed watch post and ladder or climbing vines in a tree or on rock outcrop, a horn or a signal fire or messenger bats often found here, d4 1=spotter signals tribe 2=spotter shoots poison arrows or darts from concealed position 3=dried up corpse of a scout 4=now an animal lair  
79 Wooden cage where tribal prisoners are kept with 2d4 victims and part of a warparty guarding d4 1=minimum guards 2=six warrior guards 3=dozen warriors 4=dozen warriors 3d6 locals and shaman here preparing for big sacrifice or cannibal feast
80 Huts of local villagers with fence or thorn bush maze around them
81 Giant sauropod dinosaur corpse being picked at by scavengers
82 Bloody remains of where humans butchered and cooked and eaten
83 Tribal battlefield with multiple tribal warriors, both sides think it taboo for strangers to touch dead without proper deference will cause bodies to arise as dead
84 Remains of an explorers campsite with scraps of familiar goods and signs of violence here in the last d4 months
85 Crucified and tortured corpse on a pole
86 Freshly sacrificed corpse dumped in a pit
87 Shattered remains of a huge stone golem destroyed by magic long ago, carved like some monstrous prehuman god
88 Stone structure was actually a wheeled juggernaut once propelled by magic as a d4 1=weapon of war 2=mobile shrine 3=wizard home 4=mobile throne of a king
89 Skeleton of some titanic monster among bushes and semi-buried
90 Area blasted by magic or dragon fiire
91 Stone idol with door inside d4+1 stories tall, eyes blaze when approached d4 1=prehuman wizard home 2=temple occupied by cult 3=colonial cult exploration base 4=spirit beings home
92 Ruin of huge alchemical factory with wrecked buildings, cogs, clay pipes and contaminated, degenerate mutants live here and tunnels beneath contain fragments of past alchemists here making potions for army

93 Statue with gem eyes of beast folk noble, will talk in ancient and answer 3 questions about the past daily as best it can
94 Great stone gateway on plinth now broken but possibly can be repaired and reactivated with a few weeks work and wizard research from inscriptions
95 Stone gatehouse securing cave with volcanic fumes within that leads to a hell-like a labyrinth portrayed in local mythology, the door is blocked and inscriptions to the gods of the dead are on walls

96 A plinth with a great tuning fork, if struck all save or will see things from beyond for a d4 rounds, each person will be attacked by a d4 stirge like creatures only those effected can see or harm
97 A strange statue of some bizarre tentacled alien plant monster is actually petrified and could be restored to life after tens of thousands of years
98 A circle of monoliths are actually living sarcen stones who will by night hunt intruders who pass this place to crush and devour them, they will only travel 16km in a night at most
99 A stone victory stelae has gargoyles incorporated into its design which are real and will attack any who defile or insult the relief carvings of an ancient king crushing enemies
100 A great state in the jungle covered in weeds and vines, if the altar is disturbed (perhaps a magic item rests on the plinth) the stone golem will arise and pursue intruders till it has item back or killed the intruders

2 comments:

  1. These are fantastic! I'm running some adventures based (vaguely) on the Isle of Dread and was just thinking about what I needed to spice up that hex crawling! Thank you for constantly producing amazing material.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. there is a previous encounter table for monster island in my setting too

      thanks for the comment very appreciated

      Delete

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