Encampment Encounters: Campfire

Our sidequest series titled “Encampment Encounters” continues with some daydreaming in the campfire…

Tags: campfire, elemental, visions

Setup: The PCs have gained “interest” from a powerful wizard or extraplanar entity.

Strategy:

• The PCs set up camp, have supper, and set watches. At some point during a watch, a PC begins staring at the campfire.
• A PC on watch has a chance to avoid being temporarily spellbound.  If so, the character has a chance to know something magical is about to happen.
• If the wizard/entity watching the PCs is malign, through the campfire he sends a fire elemental to harass/test them.  If the character on watch is spellbound, the elemental may take a moment to conjure/gate allies.
• If the wizard/entity is friendly, he sends a vision of an important clue that could help them on their journey.  (Perhaps a secret they missed, a weakness of an upcoming foe, etc.)
• Afterward, the magical energies allow the PCs to rest peacefully and undisturbed.  They are fully healed by the magical rest.

Follow-up Ideas:

• A helpful magical trinket is left in the fire.  Perhaps from the friendly wizard/entity or as a gift of grudging respect from the malign one.
• If the PCs vanquished an elemental or other creature, do his compatriots investigate?