Random Encounters

Type: Random Travel Encounters
Location: Travel between locations
Difficulty: Variable
Rewards: Variable
Implementation Status: ✅ Fully Implemented

Overview

Random encounters occur during travel between locations in the Aetherium. These brief encounters add variety, danger, and opportunity to journeys. Two main types are currently implemented: The Mysterious Trader and Sky Pirate Ambush.

The Mysterious Trader

Trigger: Random (10% chance during travel)
Type: Merchant Encounter

Description

You encounter a lone vessel drifting in the Aether. A hooded figure stands on deck, surrounded by strange goods. “Greetings, traveler! Care to see my wares? I have items you won’t find anywhere else…”

Stage 1: Initial Meeting

Choices: - Examine goods (Cunning DC 20): Spot fakes mixed with genuine items - This seems suspicious: Decline and move on

On Success: Identify which items are genuine
On Failure: Can’t tell real from fake

Stage 2: The Deal

The trader offers three items:

1. Rot-Shard in Crystal Container (100 coins)

• Always genuine
• Valuable crafting material
• Safe purchase

2. Ancient Treasure Map (75 coins)

Skill Check: Cunning DC 18

On Success: - Genuine map - Leads to hidden treasure - “has_treasure_map” flag

On Failure: - Clever forgery - Worthless - You’ve been swindled

3. Mysterious “Ability-Enhancing” Potion (50 coins)

• Actually just a mild stimulant
• Becomes a Focus Potion
• Not worthless, but not magical

Choice: Buy nothing and save your coins

Strategic Considerations

• If you spotted fakes: Buy the Rot-Shard (guaranteed genuine)
• High Cunning: Risk the map (potential treasure)
• Budget conscious: Skip everything
• Completionist: Buy map and hope for success

Sky Pirate Ambush

Trigger: Random (15% chance during travel)
Type: Combat/Negotiation Encounter

Description

A vessel emerges from Aether-mists—black sails, armed crew, predatory intent. Sky pirates!

“Heave to and prepare to be boarded! Your cargo or your life!”

Choices

Fight Them (Strength DC 28)

Cost: 15 stamina + 15 HP

On Success: - 3 XP - 50 Aether-Coins - Pirate loot - Drive them off

On Failure: - 1 XP - -25 HP - -75 Aether-Coins - Wounded and robbed

Negotiate (Cunning DC 26)

Cost: 10 stamina + 30 Aether-Coins

On Success: - 2 XP - Pay 30 coins, they leave peacefully - Smart compromise

On Failure: - 1 XP - -100 Aether-Coins - “Not enough. We’ll take everything.”

Outrun Them (Endurance DC 30)

Cost: 20 stamina

On Success: - 3 XP - Escape unharmed - Cargo safe

On Failure: - 1 XP - -15 stamina - -75 Aether-Coins - Caught and robbed

Surrender Immediately

Cost: None

Outcome: - -50 Aether-Coins - -5 Sky-Guild reputation - Alive but humiliated

Strategic Considerations

• Combat builds: Fight (Strength DC 28)
• Fast ships: Outrun (Endurance DC 30)
• Pragmatic: Negotiate (cheapest if successful)
• Risk-averse: Surrender (guaranteed survival)

Travel Encounters (14 Implemented)

In addition to random encounters, there are 14 travel vignettes that occur between specific locations:

Implemented Routes

1. Chasm ↔︎ Eos
2. Chasm ↔︎ Ironhold
3. Chasm ↔︎ Spire
4. Eos ↔︎ Ironhold
5. Eos ↔︎ Spire
6. Eos ↔︎ Windmere
7. Ironhold ↔︎ Windmere
8. Spire ↔︎ Eos

These provide: - Atmospheric descriptions - Minor encounters - World-building - Sense of journey

Note: These travel encounters are not yet documented individually in the wiki.

Lore and World-Building

The Mysterious Trader

• Identity unknown
• Appears randomly in the Aether
• Mixes genuine items with fakes
• Tests travelers’ discernment
• May be same trader or multiple

Sky Pirates

• Common threat in the Aetherium
• Prey on merchant vessels
• Black sails for intimidation
• Pragmatic: will negotiate if fighting isn’t worth it
• Part of the lawless Aether

Travel Dangers

The Aetherium between settlements is: - Largely lawless - Full of opportunities and dangers - Unpredictable - Where the strong prey on the weak

Tips and Strategies

For Mysterious Trader

1. Always examine goods if you have decent Cunning
2. Rot-Shard is safe if you need crafting materials
3. Map is gamble but potentially valuable
4. Potion is trap (overpriced for what you get)

For Sky Pirates

1. High combat stats: Fight for loot
2. High Endurance: Outrun for free escape
3. Moderate Cunning: Negotiate for cheap escape
4. Low on resources: Surrender to survive
5. Never negotiate if you’ll fail: You lose more coins

General Travel Tips

1. Save before long journeys: Random encounters can be costly
2. Keep healing items: Combat encounters cause damage
3. Maintain coin reserves: Negotiation requires payment
4. High stamina: Most options cost stamina

Implementation Notes

Files: - data/vignettes/random/mysterious_trader.json - data/vignettes/random/sky_pirate_ambush.json - data/vignettes/travel/*.json (14 files)

Quest IDs: - mysterious_trader - sky_pirate_ambush

Type: random_encounter

Notable Features: - Probability-based triggers - Quick resolution (1-2 stages) - Risk/reward decision-making - No long-term quest progression - Repeatable encounters

Future Expansion

Potential additional random encounters: - Distress signals - Aether storms - Friendly travelers - Rare creature sightings - Floating debris fields - Lost explorers - Cult recruiters

Last Updated: December 3, 2025