Random Encounter – Dusrin Shrines

Random Encounter – Dusrin Shrines

Dusrin is the deity of travel and patron of messengers and explorers, alike.

Due to this, there are many shrines to the god of travel sitting along the side of roads and rivers for people to pay tribute – both in word and in silver – to Dusrin.

Below you will find three unique shrines that characters are likely to discover along more popular road- and river-ways.

Even though these are written up for Dusrin, you can easily replace your own deity of travel or trade with these shrines.

1. The Dust Ledger

Location: Beside a long, straight road used heavily by caravans and couriers

Appearance: A stone lectern holding a slate slab, constantly covered in dust. Names, symbols, and routes are finger-written into the grime by passing travellers.

Offerings: A moment of time, chalk, charcoal, water to wash one’s hands.

Ritual Use: Travelers write their name or destination, then deliberately smear part of it away – acknowledging that no journey remains unchanged.

Local Belief: Dusrin reads what is written and what is erased; those who refuse to let go are delayed.

In Play: Writing and smearing grants a +1 bonus to reaction rolls with fellow travellers encountered that day.

Reading the ledger carefully may reveal recent caravan movements or missing travellers.

2. The Ferryman’s Whisper

Location: Built into a stone pier at a busy river crossing.

Appearance: A weather-smoothed niche holding a bronze face with hollow eyes and a cupped ear. Water constantly drips from above, passing through the mouth and back into the river.

Offerings: Copper coins, written messages sealed in wax, bits of river reed.

Ritual Use: Travellers whisper a destination, warning, or message into the ear before crossing. Boatmen leave the shrine a coin at dawn, asking for safe currents and timely crossings.

Local Belief: It’s said Dusrin carries worthy messages downstream faster than any courier – and buries lies beneath silt and stone.

In Play: A whispered message has a 25% chance of reaching an NPC downstream on the same day, no matter the distance.

Lies spoken here may return later as garbled rumours, implicating the speaker.


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3. The Wayfarer’s Rest Post

Location: Along a long, open stretch of road with no nearby shelter.

Appearance: A tall wooden post wrapped in weather-bleached ribbons and messenger tags. A small shelf holds a covered lantern that never fully goes out.

Offerings: Dried food, spare maps, notes about road conditions.

Ritual Use: Travelers may leave behind one useful item for the next passer-by. Messengers often tie a ribbon before departing and untie one upon safe return.

Local Belief: Those who rest here without giving something back will find their packs heavier by morning (add to 50% to all carried items for 24 hours).

In Play: Characters who contribute to the shrine may find a helpful item left by previous travellers.

The lantern dims when danger is approaching along the road, brightening once it passes.


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Over to You

Which of these shrines do you like the most? Let me know in the comments below.

While You’re Here…

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