Help Designing Encounters

I am running a 4e campaign IRL with my little brother and step brother. For some reason, I randomly gave them some strange coins (magical American money) and I'm wanting to make that relevant. They are level 2 and I'm hoping to throw in a bandit attack and otherworldly enemies. I am aware most Abberant mobs are higher leveled, but can you guys help me with suitable encounters to this random train wreck I pulled out of my *expletive*? I will appreciate the help Edit: Please say what book the enemies are from

Hrrrm. So. NPC bandits of appropriate CR. That's fairly easy. Otherworldly enemies? Hmmm. What environment? City, dungeon, forest, swamp, desert, mountains, arctic, jungle?

Honestly, I have no idea. Most likely a dungeon since i don't have any other tiles

There are a ton of free map images out there on the internet. Just google for some and you'll have plenty of adventure locations.

I guess it all depends on what you mean by otherworldly too. If it's simply typical aberrations there are some lower level monsters you can use, I think. If not just have the face an ettercap or something that has been in this plane so long he is weakened (i.e. start bloodied) and does less damage. As far as maps, first decide where this takes place and then just search. It's easy to find "dirt road" in maps and then "trees/bushes/rocks" etc.

Duergars make decent "otherworldly" enemies, granted they are dwarves but dwarves with devilish blood in them, making the coins relevant in terms of maybe a devil wants the coins. Duergars are in the Monster Vault.

Thanks for the help so far, but I can't really get any other maps. I have no printer and don't see me getting one anytime soon. Also, can someone help me with scaling down powerful mobs to suit the players' level?

It kinda depends on the monster, some could be scaled down and some just don't make sense, like a Dragon or a Liche. Also I need a more specific definition of what you mean by scaling down .

For example, how much should I weaken the ettercaps' damage?

Most of my scaled down enemies will likely be wrote in as previous injury or something simil

I think the Lazy DM had some kind of chart for that, not sure exactly where you could get your hands on it...hang on

I found an article on it on WotC's site. Now I just need more ideas for suitable monsters, preferably those in the monster vault

Example " After traveling all day long you come to a perfect camping area that overlooks a clear field with the woods at your back. As the moon slowly crawls higher in the sky, a low laying mist slowing spreads across the field with faint sounds of battle echo across the field. As the mist thickens and the moonlight streams down into the mist, it reveals figures surging back and forth as the sounds of battle grow louder. Cries of pain, ringing sounds of blades heard, battlecries are heard then a low cry of help is heard. " What is happening is the past being played out in front of the group. Have a group of warriors come out of the woods (Ghosts that exist for that night and can be treated as real people) for the battle and have them drag the group with them. Let those coins match other coins found in the field after the battle, include a treasure map also that could lead to ruins somewhere. Does this help you any?

That looks pretty interesting, but I gave them American coins. I was hoping to lean more towards some piece of Earth tech (probably a weapon vending machine) falling through a breach in the fabric of the universe and ending up in their world. I would go with your idea, but somehow our fighter with low intelligence identified them as otherworldly. This is the same guy that broke a magic tile that would have given them boosts by sneezing (dragonborn) after rolling a one.

Have them come up on a soda machine that dispenses soda bottles. Each bottle contains a potion. Or you could do a snack machine and there are snacks they can buy. Each snack gives a specific power or effect like eating a candy bar, it heals 1d6 or something like that.

Pretty much what I was planning. Would have made it a magic weapon or artifact dispenser, but the rogue is a greedy little bugger and I'm kinda sick of him scooping all the loot. Gave the fighter 200 gold just because the rogue wouldn't let him get anything, pretty much teleported across the map to any chests/crates/bedazzled statues.