(Almost) Random Encounters: Orcs & Unicorn

Intended for 4-6 Level 1 Characters

by Joe Wetzel (joewetzel at gmail dot com)

Adventure Hooks

  • The player characters hear about a plot by an evil wizard to steal the horn of the Unicorn that defends the local forest.
  • The player characters accept a contract to clear a small forest of a group or orcs who have been pillaging a few hamlets.
  • The player characters stumble across the incident described below while traveling through a forest on the way to or from their latest adventure.

Adventure Scaling

This encounter can be scaled to larger or smaller parties or more experienced characters by:

  • Increase the number of Orcs.
  • Give the Unicorn a number of hit points so it can continue to defend itself.
  • Give the Orcs a number of class levels, such as:
    Orc, 2nd-level Fighter (instead of 1st-level Warrior):
    AC: 13; HD 2d10+2; hp: 13ea; Init: +0; Spd: 30′;
    Base Att/Grapple: +2/+5;
    Att: Falchion +6 melee (2d4+4/18-20) or Javelin +2 ranged (1d6+3); Full Att: same;
    SA:–; SQ: Darvision 60′, light sensitivity;
    Saves: Fort +4, Ref +0, Will: -2;
    Abilities: S17, D11, C12, I8, W7, Ch6;
    Skills: Intimadate:-2, Listen:+1, Spot:+1;
    Feats: Alertness, Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Falchion)
    Equipment: Falchion, 2 javelins

The Encounter

A cropped version of “Virgin and Unicorn” ca. 1602 by Domenichino (working under Annibale Carracci), fresco, Palazzo Farnese, Rome.

On a successful DC 15 Listen check, the PCs hear the sounds of combat and a horse’s grunts about 200 yards ahead of them. If no one makes the Listen check, the PCs won’t hear the action until they are 100 yards away.

If someone did hear the sounds and any PCs run to investigate the source, they will be able to run most of the way due to the trail which leads in the direction of the noise until the last 60 feet. However, they will not be able to fire ranged weapons until they are within 50 feet due to the forest cover.

If any of the PCs made the first Listen check and they ran to the scene they will be 50 feet away when they enter combat (need to roll initiative) and the unicorn will be at half his full 40 hit points and there will be 6 orcs remaining.

If the PCs failed the first Listen check or they did not hurry to the scene, the Unicorn will only have one quarter his full 40 hit points but there will only be 4 orcs remaining when the PCs are 50 feet away and enter combat.

Anyone 50 feet (10 feet off the trail) from the scene can see a few Orcs attacking a Unicorn. However, ranged targets will receive 90% cover. At 40 feet targets have 50% cover and at 30 feet it they have 25% cover. Characters 50 feet away will also see several fallen orc bodies. (There are 10 already down if someone gets closer and wishes to count them.)

Orc, 1st-level Warrior:
AC: 13; HD 1d8+1; hp: 6ea; Init: +0; Spd: 30′;
Base Att/Grapple: +1/+4;
Att: Falchion +4 melee (2d4+4/18-20) or Javelin +1 ranged (1d6+3); Full Att: same;
SA:–; SQ: Darvision 60′, light sensitivity;
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +0, Will: -2;
Abilities: S17, D11, C12, I8, W7, Ch6;
Skills: Listen+1, Spot+1;
Feats: Alertness
Equipment: Falchion, 2 javelins

Unicorn:
AC: 18 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12 flat-footed 15; HD 4d10+20, hp: 40, Init: +3, Spd: 60′;
Base Att/Grapple: +4/+13
Attack: Horn +11 melee (1d8+8); Full Attack: Horn +11 melee (1d8+8) and 2 hooves +3 melee (1d4+2);
SA: –; SQ: Darkvision 60′, magic circle against evil, spell-like abilities, immunity to poison, charn, and compulsion, low-light vision, scent, wild empathy
Saves: Fort: +9, Ref +7, Will: +6
Abilities: S20, D17, C21, I10, W21, Ch24
Skills: Jump+21, Listen+11, Move Silently+9, Spot+11, Survival+8
Feats: Alertness, Skill Focus (Survival)

Tactics:The orcs will use their numbers to attempt to flank the Unicorn and gang up on it. However, if they kill the Unicorn they will concentrate on the PC who has been the most effective in combat.

Further Adventures

  • The unicorn will offer to heal the party using its innate abilities.
  • The unicorn will also offer to protect the party if they wish to rest for the night. It will lead them to a shelter (not the orcs’ lair, but another small lean-to against a hill in the forest) where it knows no predators or bandits exist.
  • The characters can attempt to follow the Orcs tracks to their lair (a small lean-to against a hill in the forest.) If they took an Orc prisoner they can attempt to Bluff (opposed skill check against his Intelligence) but intimidation will only make him more surly unless there was a critical success. If the PCs are good to the Unicorn and they ask for help, he’ll help them find the lair.
  • The Orcs’ lair only contains some tattered clothes used as bedding.
  • If an Orc was captured it may (with a Bluff opposed skill check against his Intelligence) tell a story of a Wizard who hired it to take the Unicorn’s horn.
  • The Unicorn may be attacked again by others sent by the Wizard to take its horn.

The text above uses content published under the Open Game License.

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