A D100 Barbarian Sword & Sorcery encounter table & The Witch Prophet NPC for Castles & Crusades

 

In the world of Castles & Crusades, a Barbarian encounter shouldn't just be a stat block—it should be a moment of high adventure, clashing steel, and primitive mystery.

This table is designed for C&C’s "Attribute Check" system (the SIEGE Engine). Many of these encounters require Strength or Charisma saves (CL 1-10 depending on level) to navigate the physical or social dangers.

D100 Barbarian Encounter Table

D100	Encounter Type	Description
01-10	The Blood Hunt	A pack of 1d6+2 Barbarians (Ftr 2) is chasing a wounded sabre-tooth tiger. They demand the party stay out of their "sacred kill."
11-20	Trial of Stone	A massive barbarian warrior blocks a narrow pass. He will not let the party through unless one member defeats him in a grappling match (STR check).
21-30	The Witch-Prophet	An aged seer (Drd 5) surrounded by 4 Berserkers. She claims to have seen the party’s deaths in the entrails of a goat and offers to change fate for gold.
31-40	Sacrificial Altar	The party finds a monolith where a rival scout is tied up. 10 Tribesmen are preparing a ritual. Intervening triggers a blood-feud.
41-50	The Drunken Warband	2d8 Barbarians celebrating a victory. They are "Friendly" but boisterous. They insist the party joins the feast; refusing is a grave insult (CHA check).
51-60	The Silent Stalkers	The party is being tracked. No combat yet, but Survival/Track checks are needed to spot the painted warriors moving through the brush.
61-70	Cursed Relic	A dying barbarian hands the party a jade idol, whispering "Take it to the Sun-Temple" before expiring. A Corrupting Spirit follows the idol.
71-80	Slave Caravan	A brutal chieftain is driving 2d10 captives to a distant market. The captives are from a nearby civilized kingdom.
81-90	The Beast-God	The tribe is worshipping a Giant Ape or Mammoth. The creature is treated as a deity. The barbarians will sacrifice anyone who disrespects it.
91-00	Warlord’s Challenge	A Great Chief (Ftr 8) on a white stallion with 20 riders. He demands a "toll" in the form of the party's finest weapon or most beautiful jewelry.

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Mechanical Flavor for C&C

To make these encounters feel authentic to the Sword & Sorcery genre, consider applying these optional modifiers:

• Primitive Gear: Barbarian weapons often deal the same damage but have a 1-in-6 chance of breaking on a natural 1.

• The Primal Fear: When the Barbarians let out a War Cry, the party must make a Charisma Save (CL equals the leader's level) or be Shaken (-2 to hit) for 1d4 rounds.

• Code of Honor: If a PC challenges a leader to single combat, the rest of the tribe will strictly honor the duel and won't interfere unless the PC uses "cowardly" magic.

Note on Alignment: In a classic S&S setting, Barbarians are rarely "Evil." They are usually Neutral, driven by survival, tradition, and a deep distrust of "civilized" sorcery and soft city-dwellers.

 In Castles & Crusades, a Witch-Prophet is best represented as a Druid with a focus on divination and blood-magic. In a Sword & Sorcery setting, she is less a "protector of nature" and more a "conduit of primal chaos."

The Witch-Prophet (Level 5 Druid)

Name: Morga the Entrail-Reader

Alignment: Neutral

Attributes: STR 9, DEX 12, CON 14, INT 13 (P), WIS 16 (P), CHA 11

HP: 28 | AC: 14 (Hide armor + small wooden shield)

Combat:

• Sickle: +2 To Hit (1d6 damage)

• Sling: +2 To Hit (1d4 damage)

Special Abilities:

• Nature Lore: Identify plants/animals, find water.

• Resist Elements: +2 bonus to saves vs. fire/cold.

• The Sight (Flavor): Morga can cast Augury by spending 10 minutes observing the patterns of blood or smoke.

Spells Typically Prepared:

• Level 0: Detect Magic, First Aid, Light, Purify Food & Drink

• Level 1: Entangle (vines/roots), Pass Without Trace, Shillelagh

• Level 2: Barkskin, Heat Metal, Warp Wood

• Level 3: Call Lightning (Only if outdoors)

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Tactics & Roleplay

Morga does not fight fairly. She stands behind her 4 Berserker bodyguards and uses the environment to her advantage.

1. Opening Move: She casts Entangle to trap the party's "metal-men" (knights/fighters).

2. Crowd Control: If a PC breaks free, she uses Warp Wood on their bow or shield, or Heat Metal on their plate armor.

3. The Bargain: If reduced to half health, she will call for a parley. She offers a "True Prophecy" in exchange for her life. This prophecy should be a cryptic hint about the party's current main quest.

The Berserker Bodyguards (4)

• HD: 2d8+2 (14 HP each)

• AC: 12 (Animal skins)

• Attack: Battle Axe +3 (1d8+2)

• Special: Rage. Once per encounter, they can fly into a frenzy, gaining +2 to hit and damage but suffering -2 to AC for 5 rounds. They do not check for morale while raging.

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Loot & Curiosities

If the party defeats her or loots her hovel, they find:

• The Bone-Dice: A set of carved finger-bones that grant a +1 bonus to a single Attribute Check once per day, but only if the user sacrifices a small animal first.

• Herb Pouch: Contains rare mosses worth 50gp to an alchemist or healer.

• Blood-Stained Map: A piece of cured human skin showing the location of a "Hidden Valley" (a future adventure hook).