What if you send the players in a dungeon that was already raided? Maybe you could have traps that are already set off, or the corpses of monsters etc.
“ What if some crazy wizard created an artifact that empowered rodents that touched it with one random supernatural power? Preferly right out of the pages of your favorite four-color. (But only one power!) This item does not convey any sort of intelligence boost.”
“ Elven Light Horse - a lithe and small animal well suited to the forest home of the elves. It has semi-cloven hooves, a longer tail, like that common to unicorn illustrations, and always a snow white pelt. Lives inthe forest, able to stand on back legs to crop leaves from the lower branches of trees. Shy and easily frightened, but at peace when around elves.”