So a friend of mine is DM Paul is going to be running the Gary Gygax classic Keep on the Borderlands. He wanted a 'Sword & Sorcery' spin on this classic module.
To lean into a Sword & Sorcery vibe for Keep on the Borderlands, we need to pivot away from "generic high fantasy" and toward something more visceral, ancient, and cynical. In this style, magic is rare and dangerous, the wilderness is indifferent to human life, and the "monsters" often have human-like cruelties or lovecraftian origins.
Below is a D100 Random Encounter Table designed to replace or supplement the standard B2 wilderness tables.
How to use this table
Roll 1d100 for every hex or 4 hours of travel.
01–30: No Encounter (just the oppressive silence of the Borderlands).
31–90: A minor encounter, sign, or obstacle.
91–00: A major encounter or life-threatening peril.
D100 Sword & Sorcery Encounters
| Roll | Encounter | Description |
| 01-30 | The Silence | Nothing but the wind. The party feels watched, but the land is empty. |
| 31-33 | The Scavenger | A giant hyena picks at a human ribcage. It won't attack unless the party looks weak. |
| 34-36 | Blackened Stone | A 10ft obsidian monolith that hums. Touching it causes 1d4 psychic damage and a vision of a dead city. |
| 37-39 | The Deserter | A lone Man-at-Arms from the Keep, terrified. He’s fled after seeing "what lives in the deep caves." |
| 40-42 | Vulture Sky | 2d6 vultures circling. Below is a slaughtered merchant caravan; the goods are gone, but the blood is fresh. |
| 43-45 | The Maimed God | A moss-covered statue with its face chiseled off. Local tribes leave "offerings" of teeth and hair here. |
| 46-48 | Sturge Swarm | 1d4+2 Stirges. Not "monsters," just oversized, parasitic pests that carry filth-fever. |
| 49-51 | The Mad Hermit's Sign | A tree decorated with small animal skulls. A warning in a dead language: "The Earth Eats." |
| 52-54 | Slave Chain | 2d4 Bandits leading 1d6 bedraggled peasants in chains. They’re headed for the "Caves" to sell them. |
| 55-57 | Miasma Swamp | Thick yellow fog. $Save\ vs.\ Poison$ or suffer -2 to all rolls for 1 hour due to nausea. |
| 58-60 | Cannibal Feast | 1d6 Ghouls (looking like pale, feral humans) feeding on a horse. They prefer fresh "pink" meat. |
| 61-63 | The Bronze Mask | A heavy, archaic bronze mask lies in the mud. It’s worth 50gp, but whoever wears it hears whispers. |
| 64-66 | Serpent Cultists | 1d4 Acolytes in hooded green robes. They are searching for "The Sleeping God." |
| 67-69 | Wounded Ape | A Great White Ape, bleeding from spear wounds. It’s territorial and desperate. |
| 70-72 | The Hanging Tree | Three skeletons in rusted mail hanging from an oak. One has a locked scroll case (Map to Cave 1). |
| 73-75 | Petrified Warrior | A statue of a warrior in a scream of agony. It’s not art; it’s a warning of a Medusa or Basilisk nearby. |
| 76-78 | Black Lotus Patch | Beautiful, midnight-blue flowers. Their pollen causes vivid, terrifying hallucinations ($Save\ vs.\ Spells$). |
| 79-81 | The Iron Giant | The rusted, non-functional arm of a giant metal construct sticking out of the hillside. |
| 82-84 | Tainted Stream | The water is black and oily. Drinking it causes 1d6 damage and permanent skin staining. |
| 85-87 | Beastman Scout | A single Gnoll or Bugbear, but styled as a "Beastman"—hairy, muscled, and primitive. |
| 88-90 | The False Knight | A man in shining armor offering help. He is actually a decadent vampire or a sorcerer in disguise. |
| 91-93 | The Witch's Pyre | A woman being burned by 1d8 superstitious villagers. Is she truly a witch or a victim? |
| 94-96 | Sorcerous Storm | Rain of blood or stones. Requires immediate shelter; $1d8$ damage per turn spent exposed. |
| 97-98 | The Beast of the Border | A Hill Giant, but hunched and deformed, draped in the skins of a dozen bears. |
| 99 | The Gate Opens | A shimmering rift in the air. 1d4 "Unspeakable Horrors" (Gibbering Mouthers) crawl out. |
| 00 | The Dragon's Shadow | A massive shadow passes over. A dragon—not for fighting, but as a force of nature that ignores the ants below. |
Flavoring the Encounters
To keep the Sword & Sorcery feel, remember these three "Gritty Truths":
Magic is Filthy: Don't describe a "Magic Missile"; describe it as a "streaking bolt of necrotic soul-fire that leaves the caster's nose bleeding."
Gold is Heavy: 1,000 gold pieces shouldn't just be a number—it’s a literal sack of metal that slows the party down while the hyenas circle.
Humanity is the Real Monster: The "Chaos" in the Caves shouldn't just be "Evil Alignment." It should be a cult of nihilists, decadent sorcerers, and tribal warriors who have rejected the "soft" laws of the Keep.
To make a rumor table fit the Sword & Sorcery genre, the information shouldn't just be "hints for XP." It should be a mix of cynical warnings, ancient legends that sound like fever dreams, and the desperate lies of people trying to survive on the edge of the world.
In the Keep's tavern—The Traveler’s Rest—the air is thick with the smell of sour ale, unwashed bodies, and fear. Roll 1d20 or choose a rumor that fits the current mood.
D20 Sword & Sorcery Rumors (The Keep on the Borderlands)
Roll Rumor Truth/Flavor 1 The Blood-Tax The Castellan isn't just protecting the border; he’s sending "troublemakers" to the caves as a secret tribute to keep the monsters at bay. 2 The Screaming Gold The treasure in the Minotaur’s hoard is cursed. Every coin you spend carries the soul of a victim; the person you pay will die within a week. 3 The Serpent Beneath The Caves aren't just holes in the ground; they are the nostrils of a colossal, buried stone god that is slowly waking up. 4 The Flayed Map A dying scout swore the caves are connected by a river of mercury that flows upward into the mountains. 5 The Mad Hermit The hermit in the woods wasn't always mad. He was a High Priest who looked into a "Black Mirror" found in the caves and saw the end of the world. 6 The Silent Orcs One of the tribes in the caves has sewn their own mouths shut. They communicate through telepathy granted by a pulsing purple crystal. 7 The Black Lotus A merchant is buying "Cave Moss" for its weight in gold. He uses it to brew a tea that allows men to see through walls—at the cost of their eyes. 8 The Iron Maiden There is a sarcophagus in the lower depths containing a queen from a pre-human empire. She is perfectly preserved and holds a sword made of starlight. 9 The Traitor’s Price The "Bree-Yark" (Goblin) call isn't a challenge; it’s a plea for mercy. Something else is hunting them from the deeper tunnels. 10 The Shadowed Priest The Curate at the Keep’s chapel hasn't been seen in the daylight for three months. Some say his shadow no longer matches his movements. 11 The Living Armor A suit of black plate mail wanders the ravines at night. It’s empty inside, fueled only by the grudge of the man who died wearing it. 12 The Medusa’s Garden There is a hidden valley where the statues are so lifelike they seem to weep when the sun hits them. 13 The Moon-Sickness When the moon is full, the beastmen in the caves grow twice their size and lose the ability to feel pain. 14 The False Rescue The "prisoners" heard crying in the dark are often just mimics or sorcerous mouth-growths designed to lure the empathetic to their deaths. 15 The Sunken Library Somewhere in the "Caves of Chaos" is a room filled with clay tablets that predate the invention of fire. 16 The Cannibal Feast The bandits on the road don't want your gold; they’re out of rations and have developed a taste for "civilized" meat. 17 The Ghoul-King The undead in the mounds aren't mindless. They have a court, a king, and a legal system based entirely on who is the most decomposed. 18 The Twin Moons If you see two moons reflected in the pool near the caves, you have stepped out of time. Don't look back until you reach the Keep. 19 The Silent Bell There is a giant bronze bell in the ravine. If rung, it doesn't make a sound, but every creature within a mile begins to bleed from the ears. 20 The Great Lie There is no "Chaos." There is only the inevitable return of the old gods, and the Keep is the first sacrifice. GM Tip: The "Half-Truth" Method
In a Sword & Sorcery campaign, rumors should be 75% accurate and 25% lethal.
If they follow the rumor of the Iron Maiden (Roll 8), they might find the queen and the sword, but she shouldn't be "preserved"—she should be a powerful undead lich-queen who wants her sword back the moment they try to leave.
In a Sword & Sorcery setting, magic items aren't "prizes"—they are radioactive relics of fallen civilizations. They possess a terrible, hungry intelligence. Finding a "Magic Sword +1" is boring; finding a sentient blade that drinks the wielder’s memories is an adventure in itself.
Here is a list of 7 Cursed Artifacts tailored for the Caves of Chaos.
1. The Scabrous Blade of Khul-Gath
A jagged, rusted falchion that looks like it’s made of dried blood and iron.
The Power: Deals an extra $1d10$ necrotic damage on a hit.
The Curse: The blade refuses to be sheathed until it has tasted blood. If a combat ends without the user dealing damage, the user must take $1d6$ damage as the blade "bites" their hand to satisfy its hunger.
The Descent: Every time the blade kills a sentient being, the user’s skin becomes slightly more grey and cracked, like old parchment.
2. The Eye of the Moon-Ape
A fist-sized, milky-white opal that feels unnervingly warm to the touch.
The Power: Allows the user to see in total darkness and detect invisible creatures up to 60ft.
The Curse: The user’s pupils disappear, replaced by a milky film. They suffer Disadvantage on all rolls made in direct sunlight.
The Descent: The user begins to grow coarse, white hair across their back and shoulders. They lose the ability to speak, replaced by guttural hooting and growls.
3. The Mantle of the Carrion King
A heavy, moth-eaten velvet cloak that smells of formaldehyde and ancient dust.
The Power: Undead (Zombies, Ghouls, Skeletons) will not attack the wearer unless provoked.
The Curse: The wearer’s heartbeat slows to once per hour. They appear dead to all healing magic and potions—magical healing has no effect on the wearer.
The Descent: Insects begin to nest in the wearer's hair and pockets. They no longer require food, but crave the smell of rotting meat.
4. The Obsidian Torque of Thoth-Ammon
A black stone neck-ring etched with weeping eyes.
The Power: Grants the user the ability to cast Command at will ($DC\ 15$).
The Curse: Every time a command is given, the Torque tightens. The user must succeed on a $DC\ 12\ Constitution$ save or take $1d4$ crushing damage to their throat.
The Descent: The user’s voice becomes a harsh, dry rattle. Eventually, they can only speak the language of the Serpent-Men.
5. The Silver Hand of the Usurper
A prosthetic hand made of tarnish-resistant silver, designed to be strapped to a stump.
The Power: Grants a Strength score of 19 to that arm and can crush stone.
The Curse: The hand has its own initiative. In high-stress situations (or when the DM rolls a 1 on a d20), the hand attempts to strangle the nearest ally or the user themselves.
The Descent: The silver "creeps" up the arm. Once it reaches the shoulder, the user becomes a literal statue of silver—beautiful, valuable, and very dead.
6. The Chalice of Glistening Nightmares
A gold cup encrusted with rubies that look like drops of fresh blood.
The Power: Any liquid poured into the cup becomes a potent healing elixir ($2d4+2$ HP).
The Curse: To activate the cup, a pint of the user's blood must be poured in first.
The Descent: The user becomes addicted to the elixir. If they go 24 hours without drinking from the chalice, they suffer Level 2 Exhaustion that cannot be removed by rest.
7. The Ring of the Third Eye
A simple copper band with a tiny slit that opens to reveal a wet, twitching eyeball.
The Power: The user cannot be surprised and gains $+5$ to Passive Perception.
The Curse: The user "sees" the true, horrific forms of everyone around them. Friends look like rotting corpses; the Keep looks like a slaughterhouse.
The Descent: Total paranoia. The user must roll for Sanity (or a $Wisdom\ Save$) to interact with "friendly" NPCs without attacking them in "self-defense."
Mechanics for "The Descent"
In a Sword & Sorcery game, a curse shouldn't just be a stat penalty. It should be a transformation.
Rule of Thumb: Each time the player uses the artifact's power, have them roll a d20. On a 1, the "Descent" progresses one stage. Once they reach the final stage, the character is usually retired as a monster or a tragic NPC.
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