20 Random Encounters: Urban
—Image found in article linked below—
Here are 20 encounters chosen from a list I’ve been creating for my games. Roll a 20-sided die to select one randomly, or choose the best fit for the scenario. Feel free to change whatever you want, and no need to give me credit. Have fun.
An obese and corrupt food merchant accuses the party of stealing his rotten food and threatens with a call to the corrupt authorities. Does the party fight their way out, run away, confront the false accusations or pay the merchant?
The PC(s) are offered a short-term job to escort a merchant who is paranoid that local thieves may rob him before he has a chance to make a payment with the local guild master.
Roll 1d12 x 100 to determine the total amount of money the merchant has to transport
Chance to encounter thieves is [total amount / 10] % - [number of escorts x 20]
If thieves are defeated, or not encountered, merchant arrives safely to make payment and escorting PC(s) earn amount of gold equal to [total amount /10]
The PC(s) come across a merchant willing to sell magic items at (1d4 x10)% discount.
The maximum cost of an item purchased here cannot exceed the area’s maximum treasure value or 5,000gp (whichever is lower)
The PC(s) come across a merchant willing to sell mundane (neither magical nor masterwork) weapons, armor and shields at (1d4 x10)% discount.
The maximum cost of an item purchased here cannot exceed the area’s maximum treasure value or 250gp (whichever is lower)
The PC(s) come across a merchant willing to sell masterwork weapons, armor and shields at (1d4 x10)% discount.
The maximum cost of an item purchased here cannot exceed the area’s maximum treasure value or 500gp (whichever is lower)
The PC(s) come across a merchant willing to sell adventuring gear (items listed on page 129 of PHB) at (1d4 x10)% discount.
A woman falls into the street from the second story window in front of the party and is badly injured (her health falls to -8 hp. The party can attempt to heal her. If they succeed before she dies she rewards them with:
A family heirloom (random magic item at a maximum level fit for level of party).
A blessing from a benevolent god
The story of how she fell (Was she pushed? Was it a suicide attempt? Or just trying to clean the windows or catch an escaped pet?)
The PC(s) happen upon a mob shouting threats and insults at a local priest; apparently they blame him for failing to save the life of a small child. The situation is growingly increasingly violent.
The PC(s) can attempt to change the mob’s attitude (page 66 of RC) though they suffer a -2 to these rolls due to mob mentality
If this fails, or they choose instead to attack, the mob (a creature detailed on page 59 of DMG 2) attacks the priest (and the PC(s) if they intervene or raised their ire).
If the threat is eliminated (through social skills or combat); the PC(s) are rewarded with…
Their choice of one of the 1d4 scrolls the priest was carrying (randomly determined)
A blessing from a god the priest worships
A promise to cast 1 free spell when needed in the future. The spell must be one available to the priest, must have a total maximum cost of 500gp, and cannot be used to cause a problem for the priest or his church (at least to his knowledge)
The PC(s) happen upon a mob of children shouting threats and insults at a young child that appears to be at least partially elven (or other race viewed poorly in the area); The children have worked themselves into a fervor and the situation is growingly increasingly violent.
The PC(s) can attempt to change the mob’s attitude (page 66 of RC) and gain a +2 bonus to rolls (+4 for intimidate) as they are children.
If this fails, or they choose instead to attack, the mob (a creature detailed on page 59 of DMG 2) attacks the child (and the PC(s) if they intervene or raised their ire).
If the threat is eliminated (through social skills or combat); the PC(s) are rewarded with…
A blessing from a benevolent god
A happy thanks from the child’s friends (if orphaned and homeless) or parents (if not); the friends/parents know the weapon and armor smithy and can speak on the player’s behalf to get them a permanent discount on weapon and armor repair costs should they accompany them there now.
The PC(s) hear a shout for help and come across a pair of children who are balanced precariously on an old wooden scaffolding; below them a nasty looking dog barks viciously at them, jumping and clawing toward them. It may only be a matter of time…
The PC(s) can attempt a Handle Animal or Wild Empathy check (Rules Compendium, 66; current attitude is hostile); if this fails, or they choose instead to attack, the dog (MM, 271) attacks the PC(s).
If the threat is eliminated (through social skills or combat); the PC(s) are rewarded with…
A blessing from a benevolent god
The children consider the PC(s) gallant heroes and share with them a secret. They recently spotted a man hiding a stolen pouch in an alley nearby. They claim they watched the man steal the pouch from a criminal who was stripped naked and locked into the stocks (pillory). The DM rewards them a random treasure is appropriate to their level and could fit in a small pouch.
As the PCs turn up the street they hear shouting ahead. Within moments they see an escaping carriage barreling towards them without a driver. If the PCs are able to stop the carriage they will see signs of maltreatment of the horses (severe bit, lacerated skin from the whip).
The PC(s) are approached by a young female/male bard who seems excited by the fact that they look to be seasoned adventurers he hasn’t met before. He claims that he’s been feeling unable to express himself creatively and is willing to pay the PC(s) if they can give him an exciting account of their adventures (Perform check Oratory/Storytelling or Singing).
If they impress him (Perform DC X) He rewards them with coin and promise of his own performed account of their deeds to come.
A gypsy intercepts the most charismatic member of the party and tells him of a vision she had. She predicts the party member will find a beautiful person in this city and it will be the love of his life. She provides no further details.
Later on, a beautiful person flirts with the character.
As the PCs turn a corner, a city guard stumbles out of an alley, covered in blood with grievous wounds beyond low-level spells. As he dies in their arms, he begs them to find his wife and relay his sincerest love and apologies, saying: “Tell her she was right about the [local criminal group]. I never should have tried to stop them.”
A carriage loses a wheel and tips to the side, pinning a lady commoner beneath it. Luckily a pair of townsfolk nearby grabbed hold of the carriage and are managing to hold it up so that she is not entirely crushed. But their strength is waning, and without lifting it higher the woman won’t make it out in time before the carriage drops fully. The PC(s) are near enough to help, if they’re strong enough (DC 10 +1d8).
(NIGHT) The PCs hear shrieks from a dark alley where a young maiden just went. Under the full moon, she is painfully turning into a werewolf for the first time.
A religious person starts preaching at the tavern where the PC(s) reside(s). The innkeeper is not at all happy about it but does not want to break the law personally by manhandling a holy person.
The spoiled child of a noble finds a PC has something he just *has to have*. The noble’s staff does what it can to acquire it, by nearly any means necessary. Should the PC(s) refuse to sell it, the nobleman may turn to… other means.
A PC was/is witnessed in action by one who decides the character’s particular talents are just too good to pass up, and he wants to make the PC his concubine, bodyguard, or gladiator.
A brief touch in a crowd is followed by what appears to be some form of disease (Recommend roll relevant save for player without their knowledge so they are unaware of sickness; character may have gotten a glimpse of the infected individual that they came into contact with a DC of 15 up to 20 in cases of a crowded area).
See http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/3.5e_Diseases for sample diseases
See information about diseases in general, including healing disease, here: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Disease
BONUS! A link to an article that provides inspiration for many more!
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titsay
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