On the Knights of Noromath server, enemy spawns are appearing according to several conditions. These include area, calendar, temperature, time of day, the frequency of creatures of their specific type, and some other circumstantial conditions.
Area – Any given area or environment type may be host to a particular sort of monsters or other creatures.
Calendar – Certain creatures are appearing in areas only during set times such as the full moon. For game purposes, the in-game day before and after the 15th of the month are considered to be the full moon.
Temperature – Certain creatures are drawn to seasonal changes in temperature but will appear out of season if the conditions warrant their early or late migration.
Time of Day – Diurnal, nocturnal, and less predictable spawn encounters are happening around the clock.
Frequency – The population and organization of particular creatures might call for gangs, packs, herds, etc. If the frequency of any particular creature deviates from tabletop conventions, it is purely campaign-specific.
Other Circumstances – In the case of Druidic Groves, the type of monsters encountered in an area around a grove is based upon the overall condition of that grove.
Druid Grove Support
Druid groves are ancient holy sites located all throughout Faerun. They are places where very specific deities have been venerated for hundreds or even thousands of years. These deities include Chauntea, Eldath, Mielikki, Selune, and Silvanus.
Due to the conflicts with blighters in the region of the Wealdath, the old druidic groves are under attack. The condition of a particular druid grove has direct impacts on the lands around it.
If a character has a spellcasting class, they are able to influence the condition of a grove. While the druid and ranger and blighter classes can influence groves more strongly than other spellcasting classes, they can no less make an impact on the energies present in a grove.
There are multiple locations where nature can be influenced locally, including groves and lesser shrines. Groves will provide the most impact to the area surrounding them, and a single character may only influence the condition of a grove through these locations of power every 12 hours, between dawn and twilight or between twilight and dawn.
The following conditions are observed to be present with respect to druidic groves and the lands their condition directly effect.
Pristine – Pristine groves feature the most natural diversity and connection with the inner planes. Creatures of all types thrive near pristine groves.
Corrupted – Corrupted groves feature a marked decrease of the general diversity in an area. These areas instead have mostly predators or the strongest surviving animals only, with blight creatures such as carrion feeders moving in. The connection with the inner planes is supplanted by the power of the blighters, partially.
Blighted – Blighted groves have been attacked so frequently that nearby animals and natural creatures have vanished entirely. They now encourage the dangerous planar connections that enable the terrible Efreeti to appear.
Barony Ownership
A Barony’s ownership of a particular location or settlement will result in their particular men-at-arms and knights appearing to defend it. Almost any barony holding can be overrun, abandoned, or taken over by hostile forces or alternative forces.