After several days of walking, I arrived at what seemed to be a normal hamlet. Surrounded by oak forest and a field, I curiously walked in, absorbing the smell of grain and quiet atmosphere. Most of the population consisted of humans, but I saw several elves here and there and at least one half-elf. Since it was late evening, my goal was to find an inn to rest in. Most buildings, however, looked the same, and so I asked one of the villagers. The old woman looked at me with surprise, and after a while she said with a voice much raspier than expected: "Over there, newcomer," pointing with shaking finger at the building in the middle of this hamlet.
I walked into the inn, being welcomed by a surprising emptiness. The half-elven barmaid was cleaning a glass while talking to a depressed-looking muscular man sitting at the bar. In the corner, there was an old-looking woman with a crystal ball placed in front of her, excitedly waving at me. As I walked in, I saw how the barmaid started to fill the glass with dwarven ale, just as a young farmer walked past me. He placed several coins he was clutching in his hand in front of her quietly, taking his ale and sitting next to the depressed goliath.
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Location
|
On a road between a large city and a shore, or another large city, surrounded by oak forests and fields.
|
| Population |
48 |
| Majority Races |
human, elf, half-elf |
| Majority Languages |
common, elvish |
| Popular Gods |
forests, agriculture |
| Government |
under the local kingdom, in case of no kingdom the mayor |
| Leader |
the mayor |
| Culture |
quiet, commercial |
| Economy |
income from travelers buying their products and staying in their inn |
| Abundant Resources |
wood, leather, grain |
| Secret |
The citizens of Oxeye don't talk to each other. Unusual weather conditions and natural occurrences are considered normal around the settlement. Farm animals rise from dead on some nights. |
History
Oxeye started as a simple inn on the important road from one big city (or possibly coast) to another. Soon, more and more people realized that life there could be profitable, which is why they relocated there and started selling their products to travelers. And besides these people, there was a sorcerer who settled in this small village.
If the players ask elves about the sorcerer and don't have a bad reputation in the settlement, they will be willing to talk about him. His name was Jo Goldworthy, a halfling who always held his wand in his left hand and wore his dark blue pointy hat everywhere. He was an impatient fellow with a wild magic obsession. He was social but humble, never even needed to build a tower for himself. One day, he discovered a terrible secret that was hidden underneath the hamlet–in a naturally-formed cavern, there was a floating crystal of wild arcane powers. After he discovered it, he hired several men to barricade the original entrance to the cavern and dig a new one, coming straight from his home's cellar. He dedicated his life to protecting and studying this stone.
Since then, 251 years have passed. This crystal led to several weird occurrences, most notably the telepathic bonds of everyone in this village. Every resident can read the mind of any other resident, which is why they don't talk to one another. But this telepathic bond doesn't affect anyone unless they settle down to live in Oxeye. Snow storms are pretty common in the summer, forest fires are usual in winter, and zombie farm animals rise from the dead, a phenomenon that is unusual but well-known by local farmers.
Locations
The inn is the oldest building, located in the middle of Oxeye, near the main road the village was built around. It has been renewed several times and always was the center of village life. There were even times when it was a building more important than the mayor's house. Lesatha, the half-elven barmaid, can be found there at all times, along with Iuchra, the fortune teller, and Arno, the sad Goliath. There are other men who stop by, mostly farmers and woodcutters. The inn has a ground floor where tables, bar, and kitchen are located, an upper floor where there are four bedrooms with three beds each, and a cold cellar where food and drinks are stored, accessible through the kitchen.
Jo's house is located on the edge of Oxeye, far from the main road. It has been abandoned for the last 50 or so years, until Everynn–the female half-elf who seems adventurous–moved in last month to guard it. There wasn't that much inside anyway–most stuff had already been sold to travelers, and the hidden entrance to the cavern beneath the hamlet has stood hidden for a whole 50 years. Everynn knows how to enter it and regularly checks the crystal.
A barred cave entrance can be found outside of Oxeye, about two hours of walking to the northeast. Surrounded by forest, it has several signs placed around it, warning everyone not to enter in the common, elven and halfling languages. Goblins usually reside around it, occasionally trying to pry the old planks open and stealing animals from farmers in order to survive.
Occupants
Common male names: Lanty, Tyward, Wilston, Lantern, Cantor, Gotart, Jecourt, Tennance, Jonston
Common female names: Sterla, Ainkella, Stibira, Noora, Kazandra, Roseta, Awelia, Arfinna
1d100
|
Profession
|
| 1-33 |
Farmer |
| 34-50 |
Woodcutter |
| 50-66 |
Merchant |
| 67-80 |
Tailor |
| 81-90 |
Child |
| 91-93 |
Hunter |
| 94-100 |
other |
1d10
|
Problem
|
| 1 | Cows, pigs and rabbits return each night to eat the crops off the fields. When approached, they prove to be dangerous and they keep returning. Closer inspection reveals that these are in fact zombie animals*. |
| 2 | A sleuth of bears has moved to the edge of the forest where woodcutters are currently working. One detail about this, however, seems to be off... they are polar bears. |
| 3 |
A merchant asks for help with... a debt. After he describes the person who owes him some money, this person can be seen exiting his house and running as far from the shop as he can. |
| 4 |
The tailor needs some of her precious silk which can be collected in the forest, but she is afraid of going there by herself, because the creatures near the silk have grown to become giant frogs. |
| 5 |
A small child runs around screaming for help because his dog is different now. Turns out the beast has over night turned into an aggressive blink dog. |
| 6 |
Local hunter needs help hunting down an animal not usual for this region–a woolly mammoth. |
| 7 |
One of Oxeye's guards can be seen in the Inn, looking for help in catching a thug. |
| 8 |
A meteorite strikes the Inn. Seeing several memphits coming out from the meteorite itself, the least of townsfolk's troubles right now is repairing the Inn. |
| 9 |
Another group of adventurers passes by, staying in the inn for a night or two. |
| 10 |
A temporary portal to different plane of existence has been opened in Oxeye, and there are invaders coming through! |
* Zombie animals have stat blocks identical to ordinary farm animals with added Resistances to poison and necrotic damage, and Undead Fortitude trait (see Zombie stat block).
Wild Magic
Underneath the village is a large cavern that hides floating crystal from the world above. Range of its effects is 1 mile; they last until the next Wild Magic Surge and they are centered on Oxeye unless noted otherwise. The Surge gets triggered whenever a spell of 5th level of higher is cast within range, when the crystal is moved or at midnight. Additional rolls can be done under DM's discretion.
1d100
|
Wild Magic surge
|
| 1-5 | Snowstorm. |
| 6-10 | Rainstorm. |
| 11-15 |
Sandstorm. |
| 16 |
All the fire, both magical and non-magical, within the range is rainbow-colored, and deals radiant damage instead of fire. |
| 17 |
The area within range is under the effect of Reverse Gravity spell. |
| 18 |
The area within range is under the effect of Antimagic Field spell. |
| 19 |
A temporary portal to different plane of existence opens for 1 minute. |
| 20-27 |
Random creature within range changes its skin color. The effect lasts even after next Wild Magic surge, and can be removed with Remove Curse or a stronger spell.
1d8 Colors
1 Red
2 Orange
3 Yellow
4 Green
5 Blue
6 Violet
7 Magenta
8 Pink |
| 28 |
Lightstorm. |
| 29 |
Earthquake. |
| 30 |
Everyone within range is immune to being intoxicated by alcohol. |
| 31 |
Nobody within range leaves footprints. |
| 32 | Every creature rolls a Wisdom Saving Throw upon finishing a long rest (DC 12) or be too lazy to do anything. |
| 33 | A single dog that's within range turns into a blink dog. |
| 34 |
A single spider that's within range turns into a phase spider. |
| 35 | A single shrub that's within range awakens. |
| 36 |
A single bear that's within range turns into a boar. |
| 37 | A single bear that's within range turns into a polar bear. |
| 38 | A single wolf that's alone and within range turns into a loan wolf. |
| 39 | A single wolf that's within range turns into a winter wolf. |
| 40 |
A single wolf that's within range turns into a worg. |
| 41 | A swarm of bugs that's within range turns into a bag, large enough to fit a book. |
| 42 | A swarm of bats that's within range turns into 1d8 wooden clubs. |
| 43 |
Every humanoid within range rolls a Constitution Saving Throw upon finishing a long rest (DC 10) or they get hiccups. These interrupt spells requiring Verbal components and can be spread by touch. Each creature affected by hiccups can repeat their Saving Throw at the beginning of their turn. |
| 44 |
Birds can't lay eggs for the duration. |
| 45-50 |
Every creature within range thinks its name is (1d8):
1 Jeff
2 Fine
3 Hungry
4 Notsorry
5 Harold
6 (name of the PC to your left)
7 (name of the player to your right)
8 Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff |
| 51 |
There appear to be additional moon. |
| 52-60 | Nobody in the range can pronounce letter (1d8):
1 R
2 L
3 S
4 M
5 N
6 V/W
7 T
8 G |
| 61 |
Every humanoid is invisible until it makes sound or until next Wild Magic surge (whichever comes sooner). |
| 62-65 |
The humanoid closest to the crystal gains a monkey tail. |
| 66-75 |
Every humanoid that's within range rolls a Wisdom Saving Throw upon finishing a long rest (DC 15) or they can't help but sing and dance as if they were a part of musical. All singing humanoids are singing to the same melody and can't help but know lyrics as if they had it all practiced. |
| 76 |
Rockstorm. |
| 77 |
Fishstorm. |
| 78 |
Bloodstorm. |
| 79 |
Solar/Lunar eclipse is visible from Oxeye. |
| 80 |
A meteorite strikes within 1 mile of Oxeye. |
| 81 |
Spectacular lights in the sky are visible above Oxeye at night. |
| 82 |
A rainbow is visible above Oxeye. |
| 83 |
The moon seems bloody red when viewed from Oxeye. |
| 84 |
A tornado arises near to Oxeye. |
| 85 |
All the flames that are as large as campfire or smaller are extinguished and can't be lighted up. |
| 86 |
1d6 dead beasts that died within last week rise from dead. |
| 87 |
1d4+2 animals become giant versions of themselves. |
| 88 | Whenever two humanoids touch, they both get a static shock. |
| 89 |
Whenever sleeping, all humanoids have nightmares about rabbits. |
| 90-95 |
All the animals can speak and gain human level of Intelligence. |
| 96 | Bark of all trees within 100 feet become hard as steel. |
| 97 |
Loud music starts playing whenever anyone attempts to cast a spell with Verbal component. |
| 98 | Everything appears black and white. |
| 99 |
The female closest to the crystal at the time of Wild Magic Surge appears as beautiful as nymph. |
| 00 |
Oxeye ceases to exist. All of its citizens are moved to locations they'd logically reside in, and everyone (including beings outside of range) believes that Oxeye was gone at least for the last 100 years. This effect is permanent and affects everyone inside and outside of range, except for the ones who were in the cavern with the crystal. |
Update: Added more Wild Magic Surges, added link to the stat block for the Loan Wolf
Update 2: Fixed stylistic mistakes
