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The River Queen: A System-Agnostic Encounter with a Stylish Troll Under the Bridge

In this article, you’ll find a random encounter idea and an adventure location designed for easy integration into your game. This entry is system-agnostic, so you’ll need to adapt the stats and loot according to the system you’re using at your table.

Near an old bridge lie the shattered remains of a small barge. Among the broken planks and scattered debris, shreds of valuable fabrics and silks can still be seen; however, it’s clear that most of the goods have already been taken. Disturbing this wreck awakens the wrath of the merchant who perished with his cargo—now an enraged poltergeist hurling shards of wood and debris at any intruders (treat as one or more animated objects, or as a haunt in Pathfinder).

The thief responsible for these stolen goods is a cunning aquatic troll, a scrag known to the locals as the River Queen, who has made the bridge her lair. She wields an improvised tower shield—a massive wooden door covered in damp hides and reinforced with large, garish blue metal plates—making her highly resistant to fire. For offense, she brandishes a brutal, primitive club tipped with a sharp piece of flint bound to the end of a heavy cudgel.

The River Queen, art by Miguel Regodon

Her dripping outfit is both a display of vanity and a testament to her skill as a seamstress. She wears a ragged dress stitched together from scraps of silk, fur, and exotic fabrics, skillfully crafted with surprising finesse for one of her kind. The scrag demands gold from travelers wishing to cross the bridge, whether on foot or by boat, but she has a notable weakness: flattery and flirtation. If travelers flatter her or promise to bring her new exotic fabrics in the future to expand her wardrobe, she may allow them to pass without paying.

If the characters choose to confront the troll and manage to corner her, the creature might beg for mercy and offer them a deal: spare her life in exchange for a piece of her treasure, hidden in her underwater lair accessible only from the depths beneath the bridge. This offer, however, is not as simple as it seems—the adventurers would have to dive into the grotto themselves to claim the treasure (otherwise, she will barricade herself in her lair and refuse to return to fulfill the deal). Those who accept the bargain will need excellent lungs or a means to breathe underwater, facing the additional risk that the troll may regenerate and plot her revenge while they explore the grotto. However, the scrag does not lie: in the grotto, amid rusty chests, lie not only the stolen bundles of exotic silks and furs but also other valuable items she has collected over years of raiding and extortion.

If the characters kill the River Queen, the vengeful spirit of the merchant who lost his life and cargo will finally find peace, and the sinister curse affecting the remains of the barge will disappear along with him.
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