There are three different ways that an Encounter begins: * An immediate combat, with the message that you have encountered one of the wood's "nightmarish denizens". The Begin Combat button is immediately presented. This is a Monster Encounter, and can only result in combat rewards (xp and random loot). * A prelude to combat, with the message that you have encountered one of the wood's "nightmarish denizens". The Begin Combat button is NOT immediately presented. This lead-in seems to always lead to either a normal Monster Encounter, or one of these two particular Repeatable Encounters: * Oakaruk scout * Headless man * Suddenly..., this is the only lead-in that has a chance to result in having a meaningful encounter (either a Repeatable Encounter, a Limited occurrence Enc