Encounter: The Lizkin Lake Ambush

A free encounter for 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons by Sir Gamealot (www.sirgamealot.com)

Recommended Party Level: 1–3

Encounter Difficulty: Medium to Hard

Environment: Lakeside road, ruined caravan, light forest

Overview

The party is traveling along a trade road that skirts the edge of a small lake. Ahead, they discover the wreckage of a recently attacked merchant caravan.  What initially appears to be an opportunity for investigation is actually a hastily staged ambush by a tribe of Lizkin, who just attacked to caravan just before the characters arrived (see our monster creation from our earlier blog post).

The Lizkin aren't interested in killing travelers. They're interested in stealing shiny things.  And they already have their eyes on something valuable.

Player and DM maps (jpg files) are available using the links at the end of the article.

What Happened?

A merchant wagon was just attacked by the Lizkin tribe. The merchants fled into the woods, leaving behind:

• An overturned wagon
• Several damaged crates
• Scattered trade goods (no value)
• A dead mule
• A unlocked strongbox

The strongbox is either empty or contains treasure (see options below)

Lizkin Forces

3 Lizkin Scouts: Hidden in reeds at the lake edge.

3 Chameleon Lizkin: Hidden amongst the wagon wreckage.

OPTIONAL: Runner Chameleon Lizkin: Also hidden amongst the wagon wreckage (see Theft below).

Read-Aloud Description

"As the road bends around the lake, you spot the remains of a merchant caravan. A wagon lies overturned near the shoreline. Crates and barrels are scattered across the muddy ground, and the distant sound of frogs and insects fills the air."

"The lake itself is calm, stretching roughly fifty feet to a wooded shoreline on the opposite side."

"Something feels wrong."

Lizkin Tactics

Chameleon Lizkin - Each remains invisible while motionless, and are impossible to spot

Scout Lizkin - Hidden in reeds along the shore. DC 16 Perception to spot.

Runner Chameleon Lizkin - Hidden amongst the wreckage. Cannot be spotted.

None of the Lizkin will fight to the death. The Chameleons will throw spears and use their Tongue Snap to attempt to steal potions and pouches, and will successfully Surprise the party on the first turn of combat.  The Scout Lizkin will emerge from the water and throw spears at the party and advance.  Each carries two spears.  When retreating, the Lizkin will use their Water Runner ability.  A Lizkin will also retreat if he has grabbed something from a character. The players can try to swim to catch the Lizkin, but they are much too fast and will get away.

The Theft Option

This is an option if the DM wants to create a follow-up adventure where the players attempt to find the Lizkin lair in the far woods to retreive their items and/or the wagon treasure.

At the beginning of Round 2, the Runner Lizkin will appear and will automatically successfully grab an item from the party with its tongue, either:

• A pouch
• Holy symbol
• Wand
• Spellbook
• Family heirloom
• Potion
• Magic item

Something valuable but not campaign-breaking.  As before, all characters will be surprised and unable to react that turn.  Alternatively, The Runner discovers a hidden merchant cache in the open strongbox beneath the wagon.

When the Runner Lizkin grabs the item, say to the party that the action happened so fast that they couldn’t respond in time to stop it, and the lizkin darts away with the treasure and flees.  It runs across the water using his Water Runner ability and disappears into the woods on the far bank.  Mention to the players that their eyes caught some valuable looking items as the Lizkin fled.

Treasure

If the party defeats or captures the Lizkin:

Merchant Strongbox Cache (unless stolen by the Runner Lizkin in the optional Theft scenario, in which case it will be open and empty):

• 75 gp
• 2 gemstones worth 25 gp each
• Silver trade seal worth 50 gp

Lizkin Trinkets Roll 1d6 for each Lizkin, re-rolling duplicates:

1. Silver spoon (value 1gp)
2. 2. Decorative key (what could it open?)
3. 3. Gold-rimmed monocle (value 10gp)
4. 4. Tiny music box (value 5gp)
5. 5. Fancy boot buckle (no value)
6. 6. Engraved signet ring (value 50gp, who does it belong to?)

Story Development

If a Lizkin escapes successfully (endeavour to make the Runner succeed it you want to use this to build a follow-up encounter), the party can explore the forest beyond the lake and discover:

• A hidden Lizkin village nearby
• A larger Lizkin tribe
• A "treasure mound" made entirely of stolen shiny objects
• A brooding menace to the region who is using the lizkin to gather information.

The stolen item becomes a perfect hook for a future adventure. The party may even find their belongings displayed proudly as tribal trophies when they eventually locate the Lizkin settlement.  Even the Lizkin trinkets (key and signet ring) could be used as a hook to get the players to go exploring for the lizkin.  The signet ring could be from a noble from a nearby town, which the party could recognize matches a symbol they saw on a royal flag flying there.  This leads them back there to discover a theft or even a kidnapping by the lizkin or by some other local menace.  For that matter, what the heck happened to the merchant …

Lizkin Encounter - DM Map

Lizkin Encounter - Player Map