The following table replaces the generic wandering monster charts typically found in older modules. In ACKS II, wandering encounter tables don’t just serve as random combat tax—they track the passage of time, accelerate resource consumption (torches, rations), and reveal the moving parts of the environment. This blog post picks right up from Meditations on the classic In Search of the Unknown (Module B1, written by Mike Carr in 1978) module Adapted To OSR Rpg systems especially The Adventurer, Conqueror, King Second Edition
Check for a wandering encounter every 2 turns of exploration, or whenever the party makes an exceptional amount of noise (e.g., smashing open a locked door or setting off a mechanical trap). An encounter occurs on a roll of 1 on a $1d6$.
Quasqueton Level 1 Conflict Encounter Table ($1d10$)
| Roll | Encounter / Event Type | ACKS II Statistics & Mechanical Behavior |
| 1 | The Blood Trail (Environmental) | No immediate combat. The party discovers a fresh trail of dark blood and scuff marks leading down the corridor. If a character with the Tracking proficiency spends 1 turn analyzing the signs, they can determine the numbers and faction of the combatants (e.g., "3 Orcs dragging 2 dead Beastmen"). Following the trail leads directly to the current location of Roll 2 or Roll 4. |
| 2 | Orc Press-Gang (Combat/Social) | 3x Orc Grunts (AC 3 [Leather & Shield], HD 1, hp 5 each, Morale 0) dragging a battered wooden crate. Behavior: These Orcs are looking for raw materials to build a barricade. If they spot the party, they don't immediately attack; instead, their leader demands the party surrender their heavy equipment or coins as a "fortress toll." If the party matches or outnumbers them, the Orcs will attempt to back away toward their main territory, protecting their salvage. |
| 3 | Beastman Stalkers (Ambush) | 4x Beastman Hunters (AC 2, HD 1+1, hp 6 each, Morale -1) clinging to the shadows near the ceiling or behind ruined masonry. Surprise: The party suffers a -2 penalty to their surprise check unless they have a light source that illuminates the ceiling. Tactics: They fire crude shortbows ($1d6$ damage) from maximum darkvision range, aiming to wound a lone target before melting back into the unmapped side corridors. |
| 4 | The Spoils of War (Scavengers) | 6x Giant Rats (AC 1, HD 1d4 hp, hp 2 each, Atk: Bite +0, Damage $1d3$ + 5% disease chance) fighting over the fresh corpses of an Orc and a Beastman in the middle of the hallway. Mechanic: The rats are frenzied by blood; they receive a +1 bonus to attack throws but a -2 penalty to Morale checks. If driven off, searching the humanoid corpses yields a broken shield, a working shortsword, and 14 gp in loose silver pieces. |
| 5 | Rival Scavengers (NPC Party) | The Iron Wolves (3x 1st-Level NPCs): A Fighter in chainmail, a Thief with a crossbow, and a Mage with a single cast of Sleep. Behavior: This is an active NPC adventuring party looking to exploit the chaos of the faction war. They are highly paranoid. If encountered, use the standard ACKS II Reaction Roll. On a neutral result, they propose a brief truce to share information: "The Orcs hold the front gates, but the eastern half is a hornet's nest." |
| 6 | Desperate Parley (Fleeing Faction) | 2x Wounded Beastmen (hp 2, 1 remaining, Morale -2) running blindly down the corridor, fleeing an unseen Orc patrol. Behavior: If they run into the party, they collapse or drop their weapons, begging for mercy in broken common. If the party protects them or heals them (using a proficiency or a potion), these Beastmen will reveal the exact location of a hidden pit trap in the next room to the east. |
| 7 | Collateral Damage (Trap Event) | A sudden, loud CRASH echoes from an adjacent corridor. A wandering Orc patrol has accidentally triggered one of Quasqueton’s dormant mechanical traps (such as a falling block or a spear wall). If the party investigates immediately, they find 2 dead Orcs crushed under a stone slab. The trap is now spent, but the noise acts as a beacon—roll again on this table next turn with a 1-3 chance of an encounter instead of a simple 1. |
| 8 | Orc Standard-Bearer (Patrol) | 4x Orc Grunts & 1x Line Leader (Leader: AC 4, HD 2, hp 12, Morale +1) carrying a crude iron banner painted with a red fist. Behavior: This is an aggressive combat patrol asserting dominance over the No-Man's-Land. They fight with high efficiency. If the Line Leader is slain, the remaining grunts immediately suffer a -2 penalty to their Morale checks and will attempt to execute an orderly fighting withdrawal back toward the western barracks. |
| 9 | The Heavy Fog (Magical Residue) | A strange, localized cloud of purple magical vapor leaks from a cracked vent in the wall—a remnant of Zelligar’s old experiments. The fog fills a 60-foot stretch of the corridor for the next $1d4$ hours. Mechanic: Vision is reduced to 5 feet. Torches and lanterns are snuffed out if carried into the fog (requiring flint and steel to relight outside). Both Orcs and Beastmen completely avoid this corridor, treating it as a cursed zone. |
| 10 | Clashing Vanguards (Skirmish) | The party walks directly into a live firefight. 3x Orcs and 3x Beastmen are trading missile fire across a wide hallway junction, using shattered statues and heavy doors as cover. Tactics: Both sides are fully occupied with each other. The party has a full turn to act completely unnoticed—they can retreat silently, join one side to curry favor with that faction, or set up a devastating crossfire ambush to wipe out both groups simultaneously. |
Running the Table with ACKS II Nuance
The High Stakes of Noise and Light
Torches as Targets: In the pitch-black halls of Quasqueton, the party's torches make them visible from hundreds of feet away down straight corridors. Intelligent factions like the Orcs (Roll 8) will spot the light long before the party enters their darkvision range, allowing them to set up defensive firing lines.
Managing the Body Count: Keep track of how many Orcs and Beastmen the players kill on this table. Every 4 Orcs killed permanently reduces the strength of the western stronghold, eventually forcing Kragaz (the Orc leader) to abandon the upper level entirely if his forces drop below half strength.
To adapt the classic map of In Search of the Unknown into a highly tactical, contested dungeon ecosystem for ACKS II, we divide the Upper Level of Quasqueton into distinct geopolitical sectors.
In this layout, room numbers correspond to the standard B1 module map. The rooms are retrofitted to reflect how the invading Orc Vanguard ("The Iron Grasp") and the resident Beastman Foragers have repurposed the fortress architecture to secure their respective perimeters.
[ ORC TERRITORY ] [ NO-MAN'S-LAND ] [ BEASTMAN WARRENS ]
(Rooms 1-10) (Rooms 11-20) (Rooms 21-35)
West Wing Central Hub East Wing
Fortified Barracks Trap-Lined Choke Subterranean Nests
1. The Orc Territory (West Wing: Rooms 1–10)
The Orcs entered through the main fortress gate and have aggressively fortified the western rooms, transforming Rogahn's old martial quarters into a forward military base.
Room 1: The Entry Hall & Courtyard
Faction Use: Main Gate Sentry Post. 4x Orc Grunts are permanently stationed here behind a 4-foot-tall barricade made from shattered stone and iron-reinforced doors.
Perimeter Defenses: The heavy outer doors are wedged wide open to prevent being trapped inside, but the narrow entryway creates an artificial funnel.
ACKS II Tactical Mechanic: Any ranged attacks against the Orc sentries suffer a -4 cover penalty due to the stone breastwork. If attacked by a superior force, one grunt is ordered to sprint to Room 4 to sound the alarm.
Room 2: Guard Room / Prefect's Quarters
Faction Use: The Arming Station. This room holds crude weapon racks filled with looted iron spears and shortswords.
Contents: 3x Orc Grunts are found here resting or repairing leather armor.
Room 4: The Officer's Quarters (Originally Rogahn's Bedroom)
Faction Use: Command Center. This is the headquarters of Kragaz the Red (Orc Sub-chief).
Contents: Kragaz remains here with his personal bodyguard of 2x Orc Line Leaders. A heavy iron war-horn sits on a central table; blowing it alerts every Orc in Rooms 1-10, causing them to converge on the source of noise within 2 rounds.
Room 7 & 8: Main Barracks (Originally Guest Rooms)
Faction Use: Troop Quarters. 8x Orc Grunts sleep here in shifts on straw bedding thrown over the ruined carpets. The room smells heavily of roasted meat and wet fur.
2. The Central No-Man's-Land (Rooms 11–20)
Neither faction controls this sector permanently. It is a highly lethal buffer zone filled with dead ends, architectural hazards, and active mechanical traps that keep the two forces separated.
Room 11: The Wizard’s Laboratory (Zelligar's Domain)
Faction Use: Cursed Outpost. Both factions avoid this room entirely due to lingering magical anomalies.
The Perimeter Trap (The Arcane Conduit): The door is locked (Thief Open Locks 15+). Opening the door without using the brass key triggers an elemental arc.
ACKS II Mechanic: A blast of residual lightning arcs across the threshold. The front character must make a Save vs. Blast or suffer $2d6$ electrical damage (half damage on a success). The loud thunderclap acts as an immediate trigger for a Wandering Monster check.
Room 14: The Long Corridor Junction
Faction Use: The Killing Field. A long, straight stone hallway connecting the West and East wings.
The Perimeter Trap (The Scything Wall): The Beastmen have rigged a pressure plate mid-way down the hall (Thief Find Traps 14+).
Tactical Behavior: The Beastmen intentionally leave this trap armed. When an Orc patrol chases them down this hallway, the agile Beastmen slide or leap over the specific pressure flagstone, leaving the heavy Orcs to step on it and trigger a large swinging blade (+4 attack throw, $1d10$ damage).
Room 19: The Room of Pools
Faction Use: Neutral Watering Hole. A massive chamber containing the iconic magical pools.
Behavior: While combat is common here, dynamic faction morale rules dictate that if both a small Orc patrol (2-3 grunts) and a small Beastman foraging party (2-3 hunters) meet here, they will stall, trade insults, and watch each other warily rather than engage in a suicidal melee unless the player characters tip the balance.
3. The Beastman Warrens (East Wing: Rooms 21–35)
The Beastmen have turned the labyrinthine eastern living suites into an insular, defensive nesting ground. They use secret doors to bypass hallways, turning the map against invaders.
Room 22: The Kitchens & Pantry
Faction Use: The Choke-Point Sentry. 3x Beastman Hunters hide within the massive, soot-stained hearth and behind iron counters.
The Perimeter Trap (The Deadfall): The Beastmen have rigged the western doorway with a tripwire attached to a net filled with heavy masonry rubble.
ACKS II Mechanic: Tripping the wire causes a deadfall attack throw (+2 vs. AC) against the first two characters entering the room, dealing $1d8$ bludgeoning damage and pinning them under the rubble (Encumbrance/Paralysis check to break free, taking 1 turn).
Room 25: The Grand Salon (Originally Zelligar's Audience Chamber)
Faction Use: The Common Nest. This large room holds the primary population of the Beastman tribe.
Contents: 10x Beastman Foragers, along with non-combatant young. They sleep on nests of woven tapestries and old clothes.
Tactics: They use the room’s massive pillars for total cover against missile fire. If attacked here, their Morale is checked at a +2 bonus because they are defending their home hearth.
Room 31: The Trophy Room & Museum
Faction Use: The Warchief's Keep. This heavily secured back room is the seat of Gorgut the Gnashed (Beastman Champion).
Contents: Gorgut sits on a throne made from a broken marble statue, flanked by his 3 finest hunters.
The Secret Escape Route: Hidden behind a rotting bear rug on the east wall is a functional secret door (1-in-6 chance for standard characters to spot; 2-in-6 for Elves). If the room is breached and his bodyguards fall, Gorgut will trigger a smoke-pot to blind the party and flee through this secret door, which leads directly to a hidden stairwell dropping down into Level 2 (The Lower Caverns).
Referee's Guide to Running this Layout
Exploiting the Lines: The Orcs in Room 1 and 2 do not know about the secret doors in the East Wing. If the players discover a secret passage in the central hub, they can circle completely around the Beastman defenses and strike their nests from behind—or lure the Orc vanguard into a flanking position.
Tracking Resource Depletion: If the party clears the central traps (such as in Room 14 or Room 11), the safety buffer between the factions is shattered. Within 12 hours of the traps being disarmed or spent, the Orcs will successfully launch an assault on Room 22, shifting the balance of power on the map.
To implement a truly dynamic ACKS II campaign environment, the rival adventuring party shouldn’t just feel like wandering monsters with class levels. They operate under the exact same structural constraints as the player characters: they have an active encumbrance limit, they check for morale, they burn through torches, and they are seeking the exact same finite resource—Wealth for Experience (GP = XP).
This competing company, The Bronze Vanguard, has entered Quasqueton from a secondary, forgotten fissure on the eastern ridge, putting them on a direct collision course with the Beastman Warrens and the player characters.
The Bronze Vanguard: Party Overview
Party Alignment / Posture: Neutral / Opportunistic. They aren’t explicitly evil villains out to murder the PCs on sight; they are desperate professionals. If the PCs are encountered, their initial posture is heavily dictated by the ACKS II Reaction Roll.
Current Campaign Status: Level 1. They are hungry, low on rations, and highly competitive. They view Quasqueton as their score.
[ BAREK ] [ SLYN ] [ VALERIUS ]
Frontline Tank Flanking Scout Arcane Support
(Heavy Encumbrance) (Light Encumbrance) (Resource-Constrained)
Character Profiles & ACKS II Statistics
1. Barek the Unbroken (Fighter, 1st Level)
The nominal leader of the expedition. A cynical mercenary veteran who spent his last silver coins on a suit of chainmail and is desperate to recoup his investment before his hirelings mutiny.
Attributes: STR 15 (+1), INT 9, WIS 10, DEX 11, CON 14 (+1), CHA 12
Combat Stats: AC 5 (Chainmail & Shield), HD 1, hp 8, Initiative +0, Thirst for Battle (+1 to hit)
Attacks: Broadsword +2 ($1d8+1$ damage) or Spear +2 ($1d6+1$ damage)
Proficiencies: Military Strategy, Combat Reflexes (Gains a +1 bonus to initiative checks)
Encumbrance / Gear: 5 Stone (Movement: 90' per turn). Carries a heavy iron crowbar, 3 spikes, and a sack containing 15 gp.
Motivation: Barek wants military prestige and raw gold to found his own mercenary guild. He respects martial prowess and will negotiate fairly with another Fighter or Blighter, but has zero patience for academic talk.
2. Slyn of the Shadows (Thief, 1st Level)
A quiet, hyper-vigilant scout from the regional borderlands. Slyn is highly competent but utterly terrified of the lingering magical anomalies Zelligar left behind.
Attributes: STR 10, INT 13, WIS 9, DEX 16 (+2), CON 11, CHA 10
Combat Stats: AC 3 (Leather armor + DEX), HD 1, hp 4, Initiative +2
Attacks: Shortsword +0 ($1d6$ damage) or Light Crossbow +2 ($1d6$ damage, range 60')
Thief Skills: Open Locks 14+, Find Traps 14+, Move Silently 13+, Hide in Shadows 15+
Proficiencies: Trapping, Swashbuckling (Gains a +1 AC bonus when using a shortsword and unencumbered)
Encumbrance / Gear: 2 Stone (Movement: 120' per turn). Carries Thieves’ tools, 2 vials of common oil, a grapple hook, and a silk rope.
Motivation: Slyn wants to clear her debts with a regional guild. She is highly observant; if a parley occurs, she will quietly pull the party’s Thief aside to trade information about trap placement in the No-Man’s-Land in exchange for a cut of the profits.
3. Valerius the Pale (Mage, 1st Level)
A gaunt, aristocratic dropout from a distant magical academy. He wears ink-stained, tattered velvet robes and views the expedition into Quasqueton as a purely academic recovery mission.
Attributes: STR 8 (-1), INT 16 (+2), WIS 12, DEX 12, CON 9, CHA 14 (+1)
Combat Stats: AC 0 (Unarmored), HD 1, hp 3, Initiative +0
Attacks: Dagger -1 ($1d4-1$ damage) or Staff -1 ($1d6-1$ damage)
Spells Prepared: Sleep (1 cast per day)
Proficiencies: Alchemy, Magical Engineering (+2 to identify magical effects or structures)
Encumbrance / Gear: 1.5 Stone (Movement: 120' per turn). Carries a spellbook, a lantern with 2 flasks of oil, 3 empty glass vials, and a scroll of Read Magic.
Motivation: Valerius doesn't care about gold coin; he wants Zelligar's lost research notes, alchemical formulas, and magical components. He will actively attempt to manipulate Barek into attacking the player characters if he suspects they have looted Room 11 (The Wizard's Laboratory).
Campaign Integration: Running the Rivals
To seamlessly track the Vanguard's progress alongside the player characters, utilize the following operational guidelines:
1. The Resource Counter
The Vanguard does not have infinite resources. Every 6 turns (1 hour) they spend in the dungeon, mark off 1 flask of oil or 1 torch from their inventory. If they are forced into a combat encounter with the Beastmen before meeting the PCs, roll $1d4$ to see how many hit points Barek or Slyn have lost, and check if Valerius has already expended his single Sleep spell.
2. Behavioral Matrices based on Reaction Rolls
When the PCs encounter the Vanguard in the dark corridors, roll $2d6$ for Reaction, modified by the party leader's Charisma:
Roll 2–5 (Hostile / Predatory): The Vanguard has had a brutal day. They have lost two hirelings to a pit trap and are empty-handed. Barek orders a combat line. Slyn drops into the shadows to attempt a backstab, while Valerius holds his Sleep spell to target the PCs' frontline. They fight to rob, not necessarily to kill—if the PCs surrender a significant portion of their wealth or gear, Barek will allow them to retreat.
Roll 6–8 (Wary / Neutral): Barek keeps his sword drawn but commands his party to hold. He proposes a tense negotiation: "This complex is massive. We take the East Wing, you take the West Wing. If you cross our line, we bury you." If the PCs agree, the Vanguard becomes a static barrier, actively preventing the PCs from exploring the Beastman Warrens unless bypassed via secret doors.
Roll 9–12 (Favorable / Cooperative): The Vanguard is out of rations and low on light. Valerius recognizes a fellow spellcaster or scholar in the party. Barek offers an alliance: they will combine forces to launch a coordinated, two-pronged assault on Room 4 (The Orc Command Center) or Room 25 (The Beastman Common Nest), splitting the resultant treasure pool 50/50 based on ACKS II mercenary contract rules.
3. The Morale Threshold
The Vanguard functions under standard ACKS II Morale rules.
Party Morale Baseline: 0.
If Barek drops to less than half health, or if Valerius is killed, the remaining members must immediately make a Morale check. On a failure, Slyn will immediately flee into the shadows to escape the dungeon entirely, while Barek will drop his shield and execute a fighting withdrawal.
In ACKS II, encumbrance is measured precisely in Stone (items of significant weight) and Items (small or loose items, where 10 items equal 1 Stone). Coins are tracked closely, with 100 coins equal to 1 Stone.
Below is the exact inventory manifest for the members of The Bronze Vanguard, balanced against their strength scores, maximum carrying capacity, and tactical movement rates. It includes a hidden magical asset that could drastically shift the power balance of Quasqueton if recovered by the players.
1. Barek the Unbroken (Fighter)
Strength: 15 (Max Load: 7 Stone at full speed, 11 Stone maximum)
Current Total Encumbrance: 5.5 Stone
Combat Movement Rate: 90 feet per turn (Enforced by heavy armor)
Equipt Gear & Wealth
Chainmail Suit (Worn) — 3.0 Stone
Steel Shield (Strapped) — 1.0 Stone
Broadsword (Belt scabbard) — 0.2 Stone (2 items)
Heavy Boar Spear (Carried in hand) — 1.0 Stone
Ration Sack (Belt) — 0.3 Stone (3 items)
3 days of iron rations
1x Iron crowbar
3x Iron pitons/spikes
Coin Purse (Belt) — 0.0 Stone (0.5 items)
15 gp (Minted in the regional capital)
35 sp (Well-worn, notched currency)
2. Slyn of the Shadows (Thief)
Strength: 10 (Max Load: 5 Stone at full speed, 8 Stone maximum)
Current Total Encumbrance: 2.6 Stone
Combat Movement Rate: 120 feet per turn (Light and agile)
Equipt Gear & Wealth
Leather Armor suit (Worn) — 1.0 Stone
Shortsword (Belt scabbard) — 0.1 Stone (1 item)
Light Crossbow (Slung across back) — 0.5 Stone
Quiver of 10 Bolts (Belt) — 0.1 Stone (1 item)
Thief’s Satchel (Shoulder strap) — 0.7 Stone (7 items)
1x Set of fine steel lockpicks
1x Grappling hook
1x 50-foot coil of light silk rope
2x Glass flasks of common lamp oil
2x Tinderboxes (Flint, steel, tinder)
Hidden Boot-Sheath — 0.0 Stone (0.5 items)
1x Punching dagger
Coin Purse (Concealed beneath tunic) — 0.2 Stone (20 items)
20 gp (Stamped with a regional guild mark)
3. Valerius the Pale (Mage)
Strength: 8 (Max Load: 4 Stone at full speed, 6 Stone maximum)
Current Total Encumbrance: 1.9 Stone
Combat Movement Rate: 120 feet per turn (Unarmored)
Equipt Gear & Wealth
Tattered Sorcerous Velvet Robes (Worn) — 0.0 Stone (Negligible weight)
Iron-Shod Walking Staff (Carried) — 1.0 Stone
Alchemical Belt-Pouch — 0.5 Stone (5 items)
3x Empty glass vials with cork stoppers
1x Traveling inkwell and 2 spare quills
1x Chalk pouch (Used to mark explored dungeon turns)
Sturdy Leather Backpack — 0.3 Stone (3 items)
Valerius’s Spellbook: A heavy parchment book bound in flayed leather containing the formulas for Read Magic, Sleep, and Detect Magic.
1x Brass lantern (Unlit)
Coin Purse — 0.1 Stone (10 items)
8 gp (Ancient, octagonal coins found in a ruin outside the valley)
4. Hidden Party Asset: The Secret Hoard
The Bronze Vanguard successfully looted a minor alcove in the outermost corridor before running into the Beastmen. Slyn currently carries this hidden asset inside a false bottom in her Thief’s Satchel.
If the players kill the Vanguard, capture Slyn, or successfully search her satchel (requires a deliberate inspection of the bag and a proficiency check or 1 turn of meticulous investigation), they discover the following:
The Asset: A Velvet-Lined Lead Cylinder — 0.4 Stone (4 items)
The Contents: A preserved vellum scroll of Protection from Undead.
ACKS II Mechanical Value: Written by a 7th-level cleric. When read aloud, it creates a 10-foot radius circle around the reader that completely bars entry to any undead creature of 4 Hit Dice or fewer for $1d6+6$ turns.
Economic Value: If brought back to a Market Class III or higher town, a Mage or Cleric guild will purchase this scroll intact for 400 gp (yielding 400 XP to the party if sold to advance domain research).
Referee Note on Salvaging the Vanguard
If the players wipe out or rob the Bronze Vanguard, calculating the total haul is critical for ACKS II XP advancement. Returning all of their gear, weapons, and coins to civilization yields a total haul of 43 gp, 35 sp, and approximately 200 gp worth of functional, secondhand arms and armor (Chainmail, steel shield, light crossbow, swords, and thief tools), plus the 400 gp scroll. This is an exceptional windfall for a 1st-level party, but executing it requires moving a massive 10.4 Stone of heavy, clanking metal back up the dungeon stairs.
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