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Tables are now in a hierarchy

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This should make creating NPC tables easier by grouping them.
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Howard Abrams 2021-02-22 22:27:53 -08:00
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#+TITLE: Random Encounters for Skullport
# Taken from
A cockatrice races down the street, jumping over people and biting them as it rushes in the way of the PCs.
A human bard with an eyepatch watches two trolls as they crush the supporting pillars of a house that comes crashing down on them after a few minutes. The trolls get out of the rubble with a crashed body in hand.
A fight breaks out between two hardy looking barbarians. A skull of Skullport flies in to the scene and swiftly desintegrates one and turns the other into a fish that suffocates quickly.
A bald, tattooed, armored figure interrogates a young apprentice of some sort in a leather appron while two wizards of Thay watch what he has to say. They inquire info about his master Dwarnid Inkpeddler.
There's a flash of blinding light, the stech of a nausiating aroma and someone tries to steal something of from a PC. When the PCs regain their sight they only see the item floating away in the crowd, carried by and invisible being.
Ahmaergo, the Horned Dwarf, right hand of the Xanathar hurries by angrily with a few mean looking fellows by his side. He carries the still blood dripping chopped of head of a human.
A group of six yuan-ti slavers herd several dozen slaves of various races on chains. The PCs see two children aged about ten amongst the slaves.
A large shipment of alchohol is carried on carts by several humans armed to the teeth. They have quite a few people following them unobtrusively.
A human in fine cloths and a jet black long hair collapses gasping for air and dies in a couple of seconds. Some folks jump on his belongings in an instant and then life goes on as usual.
A swarm of giant rats pour out from an ally and attack everyone on the street.
Six pickpockets jump on a PC from nowhere and take what they can then run off.
A cultist of Cyric has been following the PCs and now contacts them in relation to a previous encounter or deal they had and provides misleading information to cause discord.
A skulker gang of orgres led by a half-ogre cleric of Loviatar tries to enslave the PCs.
The Street Scrapers, trash removals of Skullport, pile up a massive amount of trash at the main entrance of a shop that did not pay their ransom fee. The owner threatens them verbally from the inside but is affraid to confront them any other way.
Several pieces of cloth and trash start whirling in the air in front of the PCs and the Rag Mage appears. He eyes them for a moment then casts fear on them and vanishes.
The PCs spot Grimmbold the Gith, the githzerai agent of the Zentharim in Skullport, at a secret meeting with some priests of Bane. This information could be sold to other factions in the city.
An otyugh crashes a sewer gate near the PCs and starts devouring anything it sees be it food, trash or a creature it sees.
An earthquake shakes the streets and debris falls from above on the PCs and all bystanders.
A few orc slaves rampage on the streets waving stolen weapons and attacking everyone in their way. In a few moments a couple of Iron Ring slavers stop them.
Two gargoyles from the Tower of Seven Woes, slaver stronghold of Loviatar, try to grab a PC and carry him or her away.
One of Spider's Fleet o' Feer courriers is chased by a yuan-ti slaver. The courrier, a human rogue, hides behind the PCs for protection. He delivers a message to a Xanathar guild member.
A street vendor sells cheap trinkets on a "you touch it, you bought it" basis which is written on a small unreadable board. A PC examining the wares is immediately asked for its price by the owner, waving a fake wand of lightning bolt.
A female tiefling fake seer "divines" the future of bystanders for free. A group of low-life sailors and laborers watch him while other tieflings rob them and the PCs if they start watching. The crowd quickly realises the thefts and accuses the PCs.
Zombie laborers change the street cobbles in front of the PCs. One of them is an old acquaintance of a PC.
A shipment of Misker, the Pirate Tyrant smuggler beholder, is stuck due to a broken wheel of the cart. The stressed thugs have to deliver it on time to the docks and they ask the PCs for help.
A lost young noble of Waterdeep in torn clothes, looking more like a beggar, stumbles past, murmuring something about “finding the golden peacock”.
A Xanathar slaver drags along three sobbing female halflings on a chain and asks for directions.
A skull of Skullport flyies by with great speed, bounces of a corner and flyes away.
A couple of "Mhaug Hogs", zombies with twisted necks made by Mhaug the hag, bound by long chain try to move along the street. They attack if disturbed in their struggle.
Someone empties a night pot to the street from an opening on a higher level or a window.
A dwarven beggar covered with oozing ulcers is begging for some food or some coins.
Lady Mirage, a feared illusionist performer of The Troll's Guffaw theater passes by. People shy away from her path and people whisper remarks about her latest deadly performance.
A dozen drunken sailors from Chult are loudly commenting things they see on the streets. A single mind flayer follows them from a distance.
Ten slaves, commanded by a sad Calashite merchant, pull a heavy cart with the very lifelike statue of a hill giant dressed as a noble on it.
A drow noble of House Tanor'Thal argues with a silk merchant from top of her giant spider mount, surrounded by her four drow guards.
A couple of slaves, guarded by four thugs push a cart packed with a heap of bones of different origin and size, all neatly whitened and polished. The PCs can spot a ring on a skeletal hand.
A crazed imp tries to steal something from the PCs. If caught it starts yelling and calls the skulls of Skullport very loudly, making a big scene. There's a chance a skull of Skullport appears.
A larger disjoined stalactite falls from the ceiling.
Pirates of Misker the Pirate Tyrant beholder, with an eye tattooed to each of their foreheads walk by in a hurry. One of them pushes a PC out of the way to make way for their group.
An enraged wizards in purple robes throws a fireball at an unsuspecting rival wizard in the open streets. Many die in the assault and soon the offenders head is separated from his body.
Two cloacked male figures pass by. One of the PCs accidentally touches one of them they can see through his illusiory disguise revealing a scar face male drow wearing a violet eyemask.
An old obese gnome in rags offers to shine weapons or boots. If they allow him he tells about a few notable places in the city.
A duergar merchant confronts the PCs and wants to buy an expensive looking armor or weapon off of them. He and his duergar guards keep following them if they don't sell him what he desires.
Four bugbears pick on the PCs. They say the PCs murdered their slaves, they demand compensation and boast that they are high ranking Xanathar guild members.
A human slave from Waterdeep has escaped and wants the PCs to help him leave Skullport as soon as possible. He has no valuables.
Two beautiful elven girls are on sale at a nearby slave auction and the price is getting staggeringly high. The girl weeps and a crowd gathers to see what the final price will be.
The mutilated corpse of a half-orc crashes to the street from a great height.
Some undead stirges fly into the crowd looking for dinner. A few minutes later a troubled looking wizard runs to the spot, then quickly leaves after seeing what happened.
The PCs look into a narrow alley and see two ghouls that look like children eating a larger corpse.
Slaves pull a cart packed with sickly looking fish. As they come closer the PCs can spot a halfling hiding under the foul smelling pile.

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* You come across an older gentleman traveling down the path with a group of 6 small dogs walking behind him. He has them each on a small leash that is attached to his large backpack, filled with dog clothes and toys. Over the last few years, this man has trained these dogs to preform tricks. He is traveling from town to town to try and become a famous performer.
* You pass a person draped in flowing red and gold cloth, eyes closed and performing what looks like an incredibly slow dance. Around them are several unconscious bandits.
* You see an old woman with a young girl that is slowly moving towards your group. When you come closer you notice that the woman is actually blind, and the girl is guiding her. That woman gets intense when you come closer and gives away a series of phrases, each of those can be treated as a prophesy.
* A pair of newlyweds on their honeymoon headed to a secluded cabin in the woods. They're both charming and friendly, but the longer you talk to them, the clearer it is that something's amiss. Specifically, it's very clear that the groom has quite a lot to gain in the event of the bride's untimely demise.
* You kick a rock, and it appears to grow legs and claws. On close inspection, it is a fist-sized crab disguised as a stone. All rocks in the immediate area reveal themselves to be crabs as well, which begin scattering into the grass. If one is captured, it disappears during the next long rest.
* A dog leashed to a tree. There doesn't seem to be anyone else around, but if the party takes the pup its owner will try to find it.
* A short woman peddling used magical talismans out of a cart. Her assistant, a large deaf giant who is pulling said cart, grins whenever someone comes near. Her name is Tabitha and she's rather charming in a soft-spoken way. A bit of prodding into the pair reveals they are both friends who once adventured together.
* A man in tattered robes who claims to be nobility who was forced from his home by a wicked sibling. More likely he was kicked out for being a greedy twit, but the party can learn that on their own time as he makes more and more requests.
* Two kobolds standing on top of each other wearing an old cloak. They claim they are a famous dragonborn warrior, and they do not seem to know that they are actually two kobolds.
* A pair of horses, seemingly abandoned. A further inspection reveals they are still wearing riding tack and seemed to be abandoned in a hurry.
* A person digging a grave, with a body of some sort in a shroud nearby.
* A lizard folk wearing a paladin's armor. He poorly impersonates the paladin whose armor he has and pretends to be lawful good. Or maybe he's had a change of heart after getting the gear. Either way, he's hungry.
* A shepherd with a dozen sheep. He keeps insisting that all the sheep are his and keeps looking over his shoulder.
* A 10-man road crew removing a stump from the middle of the road. Four of the crew are armed with bows and complain about a dryad interfering with their job. Two are doing the actual work of removing the stump. The rest are ‘supervising'.
* A flash flood has blocked part of the road. A sorcerer is standing nearby offering to clear a dry path for a small fee. The sorcerer is true to their word and forms a dry channel to the other side. After crossing, the channel, the flood and the sorcerer disappear.
* A pure black, unnaturally tall Tabaxi. She offers a magical item of the DMs choice in exchange for an interesting story. A player must offer a story that reveals a portion of their backstory and beat a DC 14 persuasion check to receive the item. Each player may attempt this once, but each time it is failed the Tabaxi's interest wanes, increasing the DC by 2. If the Tabaxi's DC reaches 20, she retracts, unimpressed, and leaves.
* A small and poor family, all their belongings in tow, moving to a new town.
* A Firenewt wizard who sells magic minerals, crystals and dusts. He lives in a hut with a large fire in the middle. He spends most of his days at home making powders and crafting near the fire. Although he is not the kindest, he is smart strong and helpful. He sells magical and non-magical jewelry, fireworks, components and ingredients for spells and recipes.
* A lonely Bullywug who got lost and lives in a cave. He considers himself the emperor of the cave. He has other frogs and toads as minions and guards.
* You see two figures riding on horseback: a halfling and a green dragonborn. They trot along for about a mile until they come across a heavily guarded ornate caravan on the side of the road. As it turns out, the dragonborn is a senator, on his way back from a trip to the outer villages. They stopped to feed and water the horses, and the dragonborn accidentally dropped his keys in the caravan. The halfling is the locksmith from the next town over.
* A stray dog, hungry and dirty, desperately needing help. It has a collar with a note attached to it which seems to be a cry for help!
* A Rival party of the exact same class but different archetypes. They are a little obnoxious to their counterparts and are out to do the same quest/mission/thing the party is up to.
* A black knight traveling on horseback. Could be revealed to be some sort of illusion, or a wandering boss-type monster.
* A hungry beggar, who if helped will come to their aid at a later date, if shunned will do the opposite.
* A crazy old man who claims to know where a secret forest full of magic is located. You follow him but he is actually just trying to take you back to his home because he has lonely ever since his wife died.
* Two older males each riding a giant snail. They sell common magic items, maps of nearby cave systems, and may teach the party how to enhance potions.
* A man with piercing blue eyes, all visible flesh but his eyes wrapped in cloth bandages. Adorned in worn and dirty cloths of a nobleman and carrying a religious text. He is polite and intense obviously religious and with a deep silky voice. Upon closer inspection, his flesh appears burned. Omens of doom and death follow in his wake.
* A group of guardsmen transporting the corpse of their beloved countess back to her homeland. Upon conversation, the guardsmen believe foul play was involved and ask the adventurers to investigate.
* Harrin, the halfling Chef and his employees, all halflings. They travel in search of the Gloomy Mushroom, said to be the most delicious thing there is. A big and gentle half-orc is their bodyguard. His nickname is Joy.
* A blind man stumbling along the road with a stick. If the party stop to talk to him, he will talk about how he was the best bandit in the area in his youth. Problem is he never quit when he lost his sight. His buddies are hiding in the wilderness on the side of the road and have been lining up shots on the party with their slingshots and short bows.
* A band of travelling bards called Heart of a Dragon on a middle of their ‘biggest tour ever' where they are playing in multiple cities of the world. They could be a recurring encounter on different roads.
* A group of monks on a pilgrimage to a shrine of their order to meditate and receive training.
* A travelling circus with a bunch of performers, one of whom is offering to perform their tricks (tarot readings or a future event cryptic reveal) at the side of the road for a couple of coin.
* A zealot on a religious pilgrimage to a far-off holy site. The pilgrim has only just started and is full of spunk and cheerful evangelism. This is the pilgrim's first pilgrimage and up until now has led a very sheltered life.
* The wizard Leander from Leander's Luminous Launderette and Lavender Lavatory. They have been assaulted on their travels, both the wizard and their apprentice were injured (the apprentices wounds poisoned and almost surely infected, gangrenous, and without the help of a cleric; probably fatal.) and their wagon and gear stolen.
* A band of highwaymen posing as religious ascetics on a pilgrimage to a nearby temple. They plan to rob the holy site and kill everyone inside its walls.
* A farmer and family in tow, with three oxen, two sheep, five pigs, and seven geese following the heavily laden cart. A single rocking chair is perched precariously on top with a grandmother strapped into it.
* A travelling troupe of down on their luck performers with a small problem that the players can solve. In their troupe is a budding young master storyteller who is sure to be deeply interested in the players and their stories. Help or Impress them here, and tales of the team's exploits precede them in the next big city.
* A dimwitted farmer who was sold a cat in a bag (and had been told it was a piglet). The farmer is despondent and has spent every penny they had in the hopes of changing their fortune.
* A peddler with an old horse and half broken cart who has gotten stuck in a muddy rut. The peddler is actually a spy travelling under cover and the wagon was deliberately stuck to provide an excuse to make contact. Alternatively, the goods the peddler is carrying are obviously stolen from a local power or religious group and the players may or may not know about it happening, and the peddler is willing to do a lot of things to not be caught.
* An incompetent adventurer that won't take no for answer and plans to head wherever the players are going. The adventurer is friendly but seems to be trying too hard.
* A knight travelling with a very small, or nonexistent retinue. The knight has been forced to sell his prized warhorse for some reason, or have it knackered due to severe injury. Alternatively, the knight is actually a Paladin doing religious penance and has vowed not to ride a horse or cart for the entirety of one month and one day.
* A pack of dirt-covered Dwarf miners' approach from off the road, offering to trade very valuable gems for some ale and food (‘not trail rations, real food!'). They have just struck upon a massive gem deposit and wish to celebrate. Hope you have some with you.
* A hunter approaches, asking for your aid. He is gaunt, obviously hungry. He says he has tracked an Owlbear to a nearby cave, and if you can help him kill it, it will feed his family for a month.
* You see a man's corpse in the middle of the road. A young man, no more than eighteen or nineteen. His throat has been cut. If you stop to examine the body, you quickly see a search party coming toward you from the wood. They are looking for the man. And you should not be so close to him.
* You notice an elf slumped against a tree, covered in blood and on the verge of death. He reveals that he is a courier and was ambushed by bandits. He tells you that they didn't find the message he carries; it is hidden inside his boot. He asks you to deliver the message for him to a woman named Ella Corwyn in the village of Threader's Hollow, a few days ride out of your way. If read, it is a simple message from her son, Dennis, who is training in wizardry with the elves. If delivered, Ella will feed your group (hearty lamb stew with delicious homemade biscuits) and offer shelter in her barn, alongside her prize pig Josephine.
* A bear wearing a vest and derby hat is selling expertly crafted Masterwork musical instruments from an ox-drawn cart hitched to a tree by the side of the road. His name is Sir William Bearington III. He does not speak but can understand and scratch out misspelled replies on a chalkboard in Common. Should you attempt to steal from him, he will attack without hesitation, as a Dire Bear. A small collection of bards of various races have formed an impromptu jam session in a clearing nearby. They sound great, and if asked, they attribute the sound to the quality of the instruments. Anyone with a proficiency in a musical instrument and enough gold in their purse must succeed on a DC 10 Will save or feel compelled to buy one. Prices are high (2x), but the craftsmanship appears to be worth it. A flamboyantly painted sign on the side of the cart in bold calligraphy reads: “Musickyl Innstrumynts of Fynest Make, Experrtly Crafftyd by Sir Wm. Bearington III, Proprytor”
* A trio of dirty peasants is riding past on an impossibly fancy carriage. They nervously smile and wave at your group. A DC 18 spot check will notice a smear of blood on the side of the carriage.
* You come upon a group of a dozen or so young human men. They carry spears and wear leather armor. They appear to be trying to get your attention. If attacked, they immediately flee. If spoken with, they claim to be soldiers and demand a tax. If refused, they brandish their spears and talk about the wrath of the King but will flee at the first sign of violence. In reality, they are cowards and deserters, trying to make their way South.
* A man begs for help. He has been “robbed by bandits. Please, kind strangers, a ride into the village that's just a day's travel away?” At the earliest opportunity, he will attempt to steal something of value and ride away on your horse. If it seems like a good idea, he will stab you first.
* A very elderly couple flags you down. They ask you to leave some silver as a remembrance for their son, who was killed on this very spot twenty years ago.
* A Giant sits in the clearing, he is weeping. The sounds of his tears echo across the open space. His wife was recently killed by adventurers, and he will fly into a rage upon seeing your weapons. If you manage to calm him down, he introduces himself as Urgirr and will beg you to find justice for his wife by killing the Orc Barbarian “Karnak the Bold”, the Human Wizard “Aldo Blackhand”, the Dwarf Cleric “Tordok of the Mountain”, and the Gnome Rogue “Swindlow Duffington Dingle”.
* You come upon an impossibly elderly dwarf, naked as the day he was born, standing in the middle of the road demanding a 10 gp toll be paid. He wields a quarterstaff and proclaims himself to be the King of the Road. Thankfully, his long white beard shields his wrinkled nethers from your view.
* A longbowman challenges all takers to a hunting contest. A 100 gold bet. Whosoever can kill the most birds in one hour wins the purse.
* Morty Mennecaum, a traveling gnome alchemist has set up shop in this unlikely location. His prices are a bit above average, but he loves a joke and will negotiate if someone can make him laugh. His son, Manny, a burly fighter with a Longsword and steel shield, eyes you.
* A ghost hovers in your path. He is Gregor Jantos. He asks you to deliver a message to his wife Alya in a nearby town: “It was no accident. Kelvar cut me open to get to you. Don't trust him.” When you find Alya, she has been married to Kelvar for nine years and they have a daughter together. They are quite the happy family. Gregor died twelve years ago, and he wasn't well-liked in town. He had a reputation for getting drunk and beating on Alya.
* A twelve-year-old boy sits cross-legged atop a boulder that seems out of place near this stretch of road. He wears a circlet of rope around his head. If spoken to, he will open his eyes and acknowledge you and appear to pay attention, but he will not speak. He will answer yes or no questions with shakes of his head. He has taken a vow of silence and is on his way to becoming a Monk. If begged for assistance, he can show you to his monastery where you may sleep, eat, and train for up to a week.
* A townsman (Garg) is arguing with a traveling salesman (Phineas). He claims that he paid for 50 miracle cures, but the crate the salesman gave him only contained 46. The salesman claims that the customer must have drunk four of the doses of the cure because he “has a system”. The dispute is over 8 gold pieces.
* A traveling salesman blows past you on a cart. He is being chased by half a village who run after with axes and pitchforks. They claim he took advantage of them by selling them colored whiskey in a vial and saying it would cure Miner's Fever. If you catch the salesman, he claims it's honest work, selling people hope for an otherwise hopeless disease. He will give back 75% of the town's money if you Intimidate him (DC 15). If you beat his Intimidate DC by 10 or more, he gives it all back.
* A patrol of royal guards is approaching. Six stout men, at least somewhat injured, guarding what seems to be an iron strongbox. They are traveling quickly. They say that they can tell right away that you are trustworthy folk, and they ask you to join them in transporting their incredibly valuable cargo to the King--which is several weeks travel out of your way--promising a small reward for the effort. Should you refuse, they again stress how incredibly valuable their cargo is, and explain that they are tired and weak from their journey, and vulnerable to bandits. If the strongbox is opened (by killing the guards and picking a difficult lock), it contains a letter from another kingdom--a peace treaty.
* A group of four small children, no more than eight or nine years old, proudly stops your group. They are adventuring heroes and want to join your party. To kill nasty trolls, and slay horrible dragons, and stay up as late as they want.
* A crowd of townsfolk equipped with makeshift weapons and torches is marching towards a nearby city. They proclaim that they are going to do battle with a minor local lord because his taxes are too high. If there is a fight, they will certainly be slaughtered.
* A small group of three older women, dressed in homespun and dirty shawls. One woman has a swollen foot and walks with a limp. One has a swollen and infected lip and drools when she speaks. A third has a twisted and infected finger, rendering her unable to grasp anything. One wields a set of shears, one a sack of prepared flax fiber, and a third a distaff and spindle. They are fey in disguise with strange power, prophetic foresight, and strange ethics. Alternatively, they are witches/hags with questionable motives, but a moral code of ‘rewarding' those who show them respect they feel they deserve.
* An etymologist in absurd getup with a comedically large bug net, short shorts, pith helmet, socks and sandals. They ask for assistance catching something only they can see.
* You hear them before you see them. As you approach a bend in the road you hear two voices, each loudly complaining about the other. “You said you knew where we were going!” “I said that it was East, you're the one who said a map was a waste of money!” A female Goliath sits on a fallen tree at the side of the road. A female Halfling is perched on her shoulders passing a wineskin to her companion.
* A seemingly normal looking man who greets the party on the road. He will mostly address the party member with the most magic jewelry. After some awkward conversation he will quickly make an attempt to steal the jewelry and run. When the party persuses him he turns into an ancient copper dragon and flies off. They won't be able to track him. Later if the party is investigating crimes in a nearby city, they might catch word of an illegal magic black market. The copper dragon is the kingpin of the operation and will give the items back when confronted.
* The sky darkens and it begins to rain heavily. You see a man coming the other way, carrying a heavy umbrella and wearing a heavy coat. It rains for as long as the man is in sight, and then immediately clears.
* Seven dwarven miners bid you good day as they go to work in their mine.
* A cartographer passes who is willing to sell a copy of his map of the area for 40gp. With this map the party can travel at an additional 1d4 miles per day of travel within the area of the map.
* You find a wandering disciple of Gond (or any other similar god of crafting) who offers to repair any broken or damaged equipment.
* A wounded young knight laying down on the side of the road. His quest to save the princess from the dragon had failed, again. He went with a few adventurers and mercenaries, but he was the only survivor left.
* A fortune teller sits on the side of the road in a cart that she seems to operate her business out of. There's a sign on it that explains that a simple fortune is 1 silver, but a more intricate fortune is 1 gold. (If asked to prove her talent, she performs a simple druidcraft cantrip showing tomorrow's weather and tells them to come back tomorrow to see her if she's correct. This may be a good place for an insight check). If any party member gets a fortune told, the DM can choose the fortune, or she can foretell imminent death in their path.
* A gnome is underneath a curious wagon, fiddling with a mechanical apparatus and swearing up a storm. He refuses help and insists you would just get in his way.
* Three high-elven sages can be seen bickering among themselves, arguing over the interpretations of a certain book on Arcana. The party is completely invisible to them if the sages are not addressed/greeted.
* A man with bandages over his eyes, a boot slightly larger than its mate, and a sort of mechanical prosthetic hand being led a pseudo natural hound. When questioned about the clearly unnatural dog, he just says ‘I trust him. He led me back out of there'.
* A chef with a small restaurant/tavern sets up on a rarely traveled roadside wondering why he never gets any customers.
* A tattered old man sitting by the roadside will ask for change to help feed his dog. If you spend enough time with them, the dog reveals itself to be a druid and the pair attempt to rob you.
* An elf and a dwarf on a cart pulled by a couple of oxen. Both wear expensive, gaudy clothes. The dwarf is puffing on a clay pipe and has an ornate repeating crossbow on his lap. They offer the party a chance to buy their wares and show them the collection of arms and armor in the cart; all used, some very obviously, with dented armor, nicked blades and blood stains. There are a few good pieces and at a good price. If there are any magical items, the vendors are unaware of this and sell them as standard. These characters make good money from looting battlefields, most of this haul from a recent clash between two nobles' armies. At your discretion the elf may have a wand or two up his sleeve in event of trouble.
* A woman and six small children approach in an ox-drawn wagon. They appear dirty, tired and apprehensive, but if the party is friendly the mother will share her story: the father has run out on his family, and they could no longer afford to live in their previous home. The mother offers the party a single gold coin if they would accompany them to the next village. Rumor has it there are wolves in the area, and they are scared they won't make it to town before nightfall.
* A traveling minstrel and his lover approach on a donkey. He offers to play you a tune for a coin. He is the worst singer you have ever heard. He takes your coin and carries on down the road.
* A large magic stone hut. The hut is immune to all magic as well as edged weapons. Inside is the home of a helpful powerful Wizard with many magic items and potions. He has made a shop which he sells him magic for slightly lower prices that the Handbook's. He will buy any rare magic for 110% of its actual cost. He buys magic at 90% of its actual cost. Lots of people seem to come by in the day and no one seems to be there at night. This is because he talks in his sleep. On any given day, there is a 1/3 chance that he will use d4 spells in his sleep.
* Two famous swordsmen, having a duel. One may or may not have cheated in the past and may or may not be planning to cheat in the future. Their followers are attempting to either stop the fight and seeking help or are discussing terms and seeking a neutral arbitrator.
* A single, lonely shoe with a busted heel. The shoe is animated, and has a personality, always complaining that ‘My dogs are tired!'. It may or may not be a wizard pulling a trick on you via enchantment.
* A traveling artist has set up a canvas in a nearby field and is painting some wildflowers. For 5 copper pieces, he will make a charcoal drawing on paper for you or any of your party members. For 5 gold pieces, he will stop his flower painting and spend time following the party painting a portrait of one of you until he is finished. If prompted about his work, he will get excited and show you his sketchbook. It's full of various drawings and portraits of people he's passed on the road. He says he never forgets a face and will even draw someone according to details given by you for 10 copper pieces. He's surprisingly accurate even if you aren't the best at describing things.
* A portly drunken satyr mostly preoccupied with finding out where the next party is.
* A pompous fool of an elf who has spent over 400 years mastering the call of a species of wolf which has since gone extinct in the area. Will demonstrate the howl with almost no provocation and expects you to be impressed.
* A portly old goliath in a red coat with white trim dragging a big bag full of presents
* Horned devil with a box in his hands. Offers to allow you to take a look inside in exchange for your soul.
* A grizzled paladin with a great sword and a floating shield in a desperate fight with two invisible stalkers.
* Firbolg sleeping, held in the trunk of his pet elephant who dutifully trundles down the road, stepping politely aside to allow for traffic.
* Three hill giants who have been assigned to sack a nearby civilization. They're lost and want directions from the party.
* A hermit, proudly extending his arms towards bypassers, holding a single old sock with a hole on the heel. Loudly exclaiming ‘Look at my sock! Isn't it wonderful?! This sock has been in my family for generations and never once been wet! It's not magical nor special, but it is, simply put, the best sock ever made!'
* A glum-looking demon lord pulling a wheelbarrow in which is lying a very drunk, very happy dwarf loudly singing '86 bottles of beer on the wall!' If interrupted, the cleric burps loudly, frowns and then shrugs, starting again at ‘1 billion beetles of butt in the well' before giggling and falling asleep. At this the demon lord sits down and begins weeping.
* An old man and his four mute sons, all dressed in rags, one carrying a large walking stick. In truth, the old man is the head of a giant mage, and his ‘sons' are his limbs, polymorphed into a group of humans. The old man will ask for a share of the party's rations, and his sons will eat and eat until no food is left.
* An oddly smelling gnome with various magic items hidden under his cloak such as a small pocket watch that turns you invisible for six seconds, a hand with candles on its fingertips that when lit paralyze every creature with 14 or more charisma in a 100ft radius, and a blank booklet that does nothing but looks extremely important to all creatures who see it.
* Angmar Bladewalker -- human knight -- Brown hair and blue eyes, she proudly wears a scar across one side of her face. She is always a bit late, a bit eccentric, and has an otuyagh in the stables that she raises as a pet. Deft with a blade though. She moved out of her house because it was haunted.
* Zane Drake -- High Elf poet -- He has very long, curled, brown hair shaved on the left side and brown eyes, with rough golden skin. He has a soft, typical face with a short moustache. He speaks loudly and dramatically at all times. In addition, he knows the true name of an angel.
* Ayleth Falavaul -- Half-Elf merchant -- She has long, curled, dyed black hair and green eyes. She speaks quietly at all times and is deeply religious. Her homeland was destroyed by a storm.
* Doran Thunderdelver -- Dwarf noble -- Endlessly impatient, Doran is always shouting about something or other. He has short blond hair and a long beard, which his wife braids every morning. An old friend wants revenge on him.
* Porath -- Dragonborn wizard -- Suspicious and prone to growling, he cares deeply about the local townsfolk. A man named Kavarr stole one of his spell books.

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* A homeless urchin approaches the party and claims that he used to be a great magician. He says that if the party were to give him a gold piece, he could make one of them disappear. The urchin has a teleportation sigil on the ground in front of him that is incredibly difficult to see and only activates with his command word, which happens to be ‘PRESTO!'. The character standing on the sigil is teleported to an alleyway 3 blocks down the road, into a trash pile.
* Three semi-attractive ladies boldly harass a PC saying that s/he slept with all three of them. Creating a diversion for a pickpocket to snag the purse of the PC's while they are distracted by the ladies. Once the pickpocket is gone, they apologize and say that the PC looks like someone they know.
* Down the street, a person is being chased by the city guard. The guard are yelling for the thief to stop. As the thief gets close a 2nd thief causes a distraction to the guard such as overturning a wagon full of manure. The pair of thieves around the corner close to the PCs. what do the PC's do?
* As you pass an alleyway, a male goblin rushes out frantically and flags down your group. “Help, help, my wife is giving birth! Please, someone help us!” You look past him into the alley, and sure enough, there is a pregnant goblin grimacing and bracing herself against a crate. You get to name their firstborn if you help out, and the father will buy your party a round of drinks at the tavern he works at.
* A charlatan offers to give a party member some fancy jewelry to advertise their business. Little did they know this jewelry has a scrying enchantment and will be used to see where the party is staying and how well defended, they are and rob them that night.
* Roll a DC 15 Dexterity check to not get hit with the contents of an emptied chamber pot. If anyone in the party fails the check, the party rolls all Charisma checks at a disadvantage until the unlucky ones take a proper bath.
* You see an older man yelling at his apprentice for making some mistake. The apprentice seems near tears because he's trying to explain himself but can't get a word in edgewise.
* You are walking down the street when you are bumped violently aside, but when you look for the perpetrator all you see is a stray cat which seems to part the crowd wherever it goes (It's actually a dragon casting major illusion to better mingle).
* A child with an obvious injury begging for money pleads to the party for money. Later that day the party sees the same kid running around playing tag.
* A shopper in the market starts going mad trying to bite the other patrons. Minutes later the shopper collapses with no memory of what happened. (In my game the person had been possessed by an animal spirit)
* The party comes upon an ongoing street performance of a popular play. It's an enjoyable show, until the actors start looking for members in the audience to call on stage (whether that's because they're malicious or they pick the most socially awkward member of the part)
* A group of miners are protesting outside of a noble's estate over poor working conditions
* A gaggle of students run up to the party and demand that the oddball (genasi, orc, kenku, etc...) come back to the university with them so they can win the scavenger hunt they're competing in.
* You come across 4 old men sitting and playing cards. If you want to join, they let you, but because this is what they do with their lives, they are very good.
* You see a man/woman locked away in a prison carriage, they beckon to you they are innocent and will compensate you handsomely should you aid in their escape.
* A street performer is making music, hoping that people will pay him. If he's very good, there's a large crowd. If he's bad, people walk by, averting their eyes. If the party is musical, he's happy to perform together and split the take. He may not be honest about the split, though.
* A friendly looking man in light brown robes approaches the party. He is surrounded by 7 golden birds. He offers to read the fortune of the party in exchange for enough coin to buy a meal and bed for the night (I usually use 5 GP). If they acquiesce, he asks them to ask a question and he answers using the Divination spell. A successful perception check (DC 15, ARC skill of +5 or higher automatically succeeds) will reveal that he hasn't actually cast any spell, but his answers are always truthful. Once he is out of sight of the party, he disappears.
* A homeless man/woman approaches begging for food and or shelter for the evening. Party agrees, they'll wake up and a large sum of money sits by them but he or she is gone. If they refuse, then days later they hear in the news a man shown kindness in a person's time of need. Billionaire gives man money.
* A raving madwoman stops everyone she sees, telling the story of how she was the mistress of the Mayor or King. Her mind is broken, and her speech is rambling, but the stories she tells are very consistent and convincing.
* A voice calls out from a darkened alleyway, it sounds in distress, but is quickly muffled.
* The cobble pavement collapses in a major street revealing a dungeon (or unknown sewer beneath. In a short period of time a large portion of the city guard will come to inspect and clear crowds. A single old crippled man will climb from within the hole and collapse once he reaches the light.
* A parade blocks traffic while many people stop what they are doing to watch.
* A circus strongman flexes and struts in a chalk ring. A halfling barker stands on a soap box, challenging anyone walking by to test their mettle against the steel thews of Kourteous the Mighty, Terror of the Ring! Best out of three clinches wins.
* A very large wild animal calmly walks down the street. People run away and shout, but the beast seems uninterested in them.
* A merchant offers the exact same items the party already owns, but if they buy anything, they will find the exact object missing from there bag. If confronted about it, the merchant will flee leaving the party with all the items, but their bags are empty (they have one of each item again). The players can buy and keep two of any item by taking it out of there backpack and holding it while buying the duplicate.
* Several acrobats occupy a part of the street and display great skill and dexterity in their movements and contortions.
* A tower full of boiling molasses/oil/etc. groans and collapses from atop the roof of a local apothecary/wizard. Any caught in the rushing wave of scorching liquid stand to have the flesh melted from their very bones!
* The doors to a brewery explode open and thousands of gallons of beer rush out and swamp the streets. Many townsfolk quickly gather buckets, pitchers, and other containers and start scooping up what they can.
* Two gentlemen or women surrounded by guards seem to be getting into a bit of a fight. They're yelling loudly and making convincing swings at each other. They position themselves, and as one swings with all his/her might, the other ducks, and they manage to knock over one of the guards, dashing out of the circle as quickly as possible. As they pass your party, one of them tosses you a mysterious object as they pass. Along with the object is a hastily scribbled note that reads, ‘MIDNIGHT, , MEET'.
* Two merchants stand nose to nose screaming at each other, their carts are intertwined, and they are blocking traffic. Their horses seem to be nonplussed and nibble at nearby grass.
* You find a potion seller that had all the labels to his potions torn of in the middle of the night by a trickster rouge that has been terrorizing the city in recent weeks. To make matters worse, due to the ‘discrete' nature his clientele, all of the potions have been bewitched so they are immune to the use of an Identify spell. He is desperately trying to sell the rest of his unusable stock at a discount to anybody passing by. Each potion is 20gp or comes in bulk packs of 12 for 200gp.
* A man runs by, screaming, seemingly battling a large octopus that has latched itself to his head and is spraying ink everywhere. No one recognizes the man, and fewer know where one could find a large octopus.
* You bump into a figure in a sharp traveler's cloak. The figure either places a magic item in your pocket that is being hunted by the town guards or the figure steals a magic item from you and runs. Upon finding the figure either way you come to learn they are a royalty among the criminal underworld and want to hire you for their next big score.
* A skilled bard is performing in a local noble's garden. The sounds can be heard clearly outside and a small crowd of passersby has stopped to appreciate. The Noble's guards are debating if they can/should disperse the crowd.
* The party hears an alarm bell ringing loudly a few blocks out of sight, which is quickly picked up other alarm bells around the city. Large flagpoles around the party's section of the city of quickly raise up orange flags, and a general call of ‘code orange' is taken up by everyone nearby as citizens rapidly pack up stalls and evacuate the streets with practiced ease. The ground begins to tremble by the time all nearby citizens are tucked into alleys or taking shelter indoors, and within seconds of the street clearing, a stampede of brightly colored oxen around a corner and barrel down the party's street. If the party has taken shelter, they are trapped where they are for the next 30 seconds as the small flood of animals passes by them, after which the locals quickly go about setting up shop as if nothing had happened. If the party is in the path of the oxen, they take 3d6 bludgeoning damage and are dragged 40 feet in the direction of the stampede for each turn that they remain in it, with the stampede counting as difficult terrain in any area it occupies. If the party manage to get someone to explain the situation, it is revealed a powerful but unstable sorcerer named Wizbo often conducts strange ‘experiments' in his ‘wizard tower', and that the particular section of the city he belongs to has adapted and developed a warning system to alert the locals to incoming magical shenanigans. In this case, a code orange indicates actual potential danger and advises citizens to clear the streets and take shelter indoors until the alarm has passed.
* A local baker has created a new type of baked good and is giving samples to everyone. From the sounds of appreciation, it is quite good and there is already a line to both try the food and to enter the store.
* Some of the citizens are exchanging messages in thieves cant. Messages like “it begins in 30 minutes” and “get in position”. 50% chance it's a daring heist and 50% chance it's a flash mob.
* A horse, saddled and with a large pack slowly ambles down the street, the stays and ties having clearly been broken. Surely the owner will want it back.
* The Laughing Prince, a controversial thief, has been captured. Half of the populace think he's a hero of the people; the other half think he's a ruthless cutthroat. His public execution is scheduled for midday in the town square, and the crowd on both sides is getting increasingly reckless and ugly...
* Several guardsmen can be seen checking strangers to see if they paid their gate tax or if they are residents. Most people seem to have a piece of paper indicating one or the other.
* A fire has broken out in the Market District and is growing fast. The party can work to put out the fire, can try to alleviate the panic, or perhaps try to pick up some abandoned items for a *substantial* discount...
* A well-dressed man accompanied by two rough looking guards is politely inquiring if anyone has paid the Thieves' Guild Tax and if they need to renew their licenses. As soon as he spots the party, he smiles widely and approaches.
* It's the Regent's/Mayor's birthday and the streets are awash with celebrations. An amiable man wearing the city colors and crest persuades (DC15 CHAR) the party to go on a discounted city tour (subsidized by the city council) of some of its less famous sites with his colleague sat in the box-seat of an elegant carriage. It is in fact a dodgy scheme to eek money out of travelers. The coachman venerates the cities beautiful attractions, recklessly hurtling the rig through the foot traffic. He deposits you at the first stop. A temple. Here a weaselly monk attempts to persuade (DC10 CHAR) the party to generously donate to the temple and depart with earthly possessions. The coachman will be very encouraging and optimistic about the next stop being enticing and is according to the coachman a renowned tailor. In the dingy shop a short scowling man will stalk the players as they browse the store, seizing any opportunity to try and convince them to buy his garments. At this point the players will have little sense of where they are without some means of navigation. The coachman is adamant that the last stop will make it all worth it. The final stop from the outside appears to be a theatre with elaborate decorations and promotions. An attractive host receives them at the doors, and leads them down a dimly lit hall, through another set of doors and into an empty auditorium. She tells them to take a seat at the front by the stage before retreating to the double doors and locking them. (2d8+3) thugs rise from the concessions stands with loaded crossbows aimed at the players heads, and the amiable man strides out on to the stage. He demands the party's valuables in exchange for their lives.
* One of the PCs trips over something in the street. Reaching down they find a coin purse, heavy and clinking. Just then an angry voice bellows, ‘My money! I've been robbed!' The crowd steps back and a well-dressed noble point to the party and screams, ‘Thieves!'
* A frail looking stray cat follows you no matter where you go in town, the cat seemingly following you with intent.
* A cloaked figure ask's where the local library is. You can hear the muffled sounds of chewing paper while he talks. And in his wake, he leaves shreds of pages.
* A loud, colorful troupe of dwarves enter the city square; they pitch a tent and within a few hours, they announce that the traveling unarmed fight championship will be held -- all who deem themselves worthy can try and earn a goblet full of gems and honor, for a small fee. Inside, a large, wooden octagonal platform sits on the center stage... but there is a trick: it stands a few feet above the ground, balancing and tilting on a stout pole on its center, and a ring-out is an immediate disqualification. The tricky dwarven fighters have specialized on pushing off opponents as soon as they enter, and those who are hardier and can hold their ground and reach the finals find that the surface starts to spin, using centrifugal force to slide them off (the champion, of course, doesn't even try to fight and just holds to the post)
* A group of city guards are clustered around the entrance to an alleyway. They look concerned and serious. One guard exits the alleyway, and abruptly bends over and vomits with gusto all over the pavement. If any approach, they are waved away --- ‘Nothing to see here. Go about your business.'
* A sign outside a shop selling manuscripts is crooked and jutting out into your path. If straightened or moved, a shelf of books falls over, knocking over another shelf of small paintings. Four servant boys appear in fresh finery. In the distance, the wail of a siren.
* In a nearby back alley, an observant party member spots a lone cur, that whimpers and withdraws deeper into shadow. With skill checks, a player approaches to find: A hungry stray grateful for a bite, that reveals a secret tunnel it uses to navigate the city. Or the hungry ‘cur' is companion to a Ranger, judging by the collar he wears. Another Ranger can communicate with him, following him to an injured/dead/captured fellow ranger. The ‘cur' is a formidable hound badly treated by his owner. It might be a wealthy arrogant merchant, an animal handler in a traveling circus, etc. The hound can become a follower/familiar/companion.
* A nearby building explodes, and trees rapidly grow from the rubble. Bystanders explain that this is the third attack like this in a month, and that they are the work of an anarchist collective of druids that believe cities are blasphemy upon nature.
* Near the wizard's college is a stand selling ice cream. Occasionally, the bound elemental keeping it cool will try to break free, causing the cart to shake. The bored teenage girl running the stand takes no notice of this.
* A miniature stage is set up on the side of a street, within it, small illusions tell the story of great adventures slaying a beast like a magical puppet show. A crowd of children sit on the floor in front of this and adults stand a little further behind. When it ends, all the kids run off to wherever they're going, and a member of the party feels their purse get a little lighter in the commotion.
* A child runs up to you and tries to sneakily stab you. Her eyes pierce through her long black hair that covers her face. This little girl stares at you. You can feel an evil and malicious presence.
* A doll or easel falls from a nearby multi-story building and nearly lands on the head of someone in the party! Anyone who looks at it feels a faint sense of unease, but it also looks expensive and valuable. You can hear an argument from the loft whose window it seemed to have dropped out of, and soon enough someone will lean out of it and ask the party if they can bring it upstairs, since they aren't finished with their artwork. If pressed, the artist says that he has other matters to attend to and can't come downstairs, but it's urgent that he get that piece back and soon. Is he just rude and bad at interacting with other people? Is he afraid of the outside? Is he in danger, or is he luring the party into some kind of trap? Will he even reward the party for giving him his work back? It's up to the DM.
* 1d4+1 Students of the nearby wizarding academy try out their newly learned spells in the alleyway and accidentally a firebolt hits the party members.
* A man with a strange accent whose clothes incorporates the bones of animals is convincing nearby townsfolk to join him on a hunt on the morrow. Given the way that people are talking about him, he seems to be very convincing and jovial. He's just finished talking to a couple down the street, and he's eyed your party. He seems to be headed your way!
* 2d6 of friendly drunken hobbits ask the party to join their celebration of their newborn family member. They offer good ale and raspberry flavored tobacco
* A bald man in robes is busy eating from a plate while also kickboxing a couple of brawny-looking folks in the regalia of the city guard. He seems to be making a fool of them. Given the crowd of onlookers, you're not sure if this is some kind of performance or just a hilariously failed attempt by the guard to arrest this man.
* 3d6 of spectral butterflies briefly circle around a party member with the highest wisdom and then fly away. People say it brings good luck, but no one knows.
* A famous, beloved explorer will be delivering new relics to the local museum or gallery and wants to unveil them all in a brand-new wing of the building in a few days. One of the menial guilds has backed out on contract, though, so she's short on manpower to actually set everything up and guard the exhibition until opening day. If you're interested, she's hiring- and she'll pay handsomely. Suspiciously handsomely, for menial work.
* Random friendly dog happily brings a leather pouch containing 1d6 silver pieces and 1d4 human fingers.
* You come across several guardsmen hoisting a large battering ram so they can heave it against a gate. It seems the city official whose mansion is behind that gate is unwilling to leave- not only are the gates barred, but the window drapes are drawn down, and the doors are bolted shut. They were supposed to show up for an important meeting yesterday, and were going to make a speech today, but no one's heard anything from anyone inside. Most of the locals are worried- though some seem to be happy about it.
* The players hear humming coming from underneath a manhole cover. If they open said manhole cover, they find a male gnome with a monocle and a top hat. He explains that he was trapped down there in a storm and that the manhole cover is a portal to a different realm. If the players walk into it, they end up in limbo.
* A man in beggars robes appears. 7 tiny canaries with him. He asks the players to spare some food or coin. He is actually Bahamut in human form. If they help him, he grants them his blessing. They have advantage on WIS rolls for the next hour. If they don't, he moves along. If they attack the canaries become Wyvern. After players are subdued Bahamut gives them a lecture on justice and charity.
* A city-guard is busy giving a lecture to a newbie. They use the players as an example, either positively or negatively, depending on their status in the city's eyes. For example: ‘Stop and Frisk' if the party are scofflaws, or ‘Soliciting Bribe' if the setting is somewhat fascist or corrupt. If the city views the players positively, the interaction is along the lines of ‘Did you see that ludicrous display last night? (Sports)' or ‘Good day, Squire' or something germaine to the overall plot. (‘You be safe out there; I hear the masked bandit has struck again!') It could also be used as a way for the guards to deliver a message/invitation to the players: ‘Stop by the Station, the Lieutenant would like a word with ye'. In an espionage campaign, the Player-Guard interaction may be used to communicate with the team secretly; falsely arresting and then slipping a message or dragging in to talk in a theatrical manner. It could also be used as an intimidation tactic by a well-connected political figure who controls the guards and has made enemies of the players... (‘This is a message! *smash!*')
* A gaggle of urchins hurries through the crowd city streets towards the party. One of them makes eye contact, before hurrying past and heading around a corner. The city guard pushes their way forward asking everyone if they saw which way the kids went.
* The noonday bells only chimes twice before the rope holding the bell snaps and it plummets down the steeple, landing with a resounding gong, blowing the temples door open, and making many townsfolk believe there is devilry afoot.
* While walking by the stocks, one of the prisoners recognizes someone from the party, and asks a favor. Could be something as simple as scratching an itch they can't reach themselves, or perhaps something more involved.
* An intelligent huge mimic on a sturdy roof top of a one-story building with other several buildings snug down on both sides. The mimic mainly stays on the edge of the roof draping a part of itself down the side of the tight alley side outside wall. It forms itself as a wet metal ladder. As an added incentive the mimic drops coins from pervious victims a few at a time to bait its ladder. When someone grasp hold of the ladder (both hands and a foot hold), the mimic exudes its adhesive and grapples by rolling up its ladder/self at the same time. The mimic eats atop the roof.
* A woman is being attacked by thugs. If you ignore her cries for help, she gets taken away. If you help her, she takes you to her home where she and her sisters reveal themselves as succubi and try to kill you.
* You see a drunkard stumbling about. He greets your PCs in a friendly if overly affectionate manner before shuffling off singing at the top of his lungs.
* There is a striped carriage with the number 53 on the side that is someone moving uncontrollably without any houses (or driver for more modern RPG).
* A War-priest with a flaming sword steps in your way. He's limping and looks beaten up but holds himself proudly. ‘So here it ends.' he speaks as a bewildered look slowly enters his face. ‘You're not them. I'm very sorry, please go along.'
* A small critter (of the DM's choice) appears to be causing chaos, as everywhere it scampers people flee in horror.
* You stumble upon an alleyway chat and discover one stall in a nearby busy market is rigged to detonate in a Fireball when a specific noble approaches.
* You step in some viscous green goo... and it slithers away from you into a nearby sewer grate. The ground rumbles.
* The street is literally alive. This part of the city was built over a large Earth Elemental, but it doesn't seem bothered to carry people to their destinations. However, it decides to block the adventurers from entering the street.
* A bird plummets from the sky right on a party member's head (1d4 physical). There is an arrow right through it... and a missive attached to its back. Someone didn't want this getting to its destination.
* A street magician decides to turn your party's most anger-prone member into a joke. He uses prestidigitation to cover them in slick oil, change the color of their hair, and untie their shoelaces, all while mocking them.
* A piano crashes down 1d4 meters away from a party member. It must have been pushed off the balcony of that nearby building. But who would toss a piano out of a balcony?
* A person explodes in a gout of fire. Then 2 more nearby. A creature is possessing these victims before they ignite. Then the creature turns on the players! It could be that the victims (or at least one of them) are connected somehow. Are there more victims throughout the city? It's clear that the heroes must find this out before it happens again!
* Household ‘Otto-Servant' warforged automatons have recently become a trend among the well to do. Their inventor sends a message to the players asking for help using an unassuming middleman as a messenger. It seems the inventor fears for their life, as they narrowly escaped a lethal attack by one of their inventions! Tales of similar attacks spread like wildfire the following days -- copycat attacks seem to be happening! Can the players protect the life of the inventor, and discover the conspiracy behind the attacks?
* A rag-picker with his towering cart of discards rushes into your path. They stumble on a cobblestone, bringing the entire trolley crashing down on the street. You see glints amongst the strewn linen and furs ...
* A promoter catches sight of the party and seizes the opportunity. Each player must take a DC 10 CHA check or have a wristband for the all new bar ‘The Whore's Shoe'.
* A throng of protestors block the road, bearing banners with slogans such as ‘Ditch the Witch' and ‘The hag's a hack'. The leaders of the group, a human druid in an impressive headdress, and a dwarf Bard with a powerful voice are getting the frustrated crowd riled up with a powerful speech about the decadence, intransigence and failures of the powers that be.
* A few guards march past with a scrawny street urchin in tow. The child is manacled and clearly in pain.
* An unkempt mage is staring at a lamppost, seemingly transfixed. He stands with a relaxed posture and smells of ozone
* You spot a fruit seller dragging a cart through a solid wall and vanish. Inspecting the wall, it appears to just be the solid outer wall of a general store
* A street artist is making portraits for a reasonable price. The images seem to have a life of their own, with the faces smiling and winking at passersby. Some complete examples on the flagstones around him showing detailed backgrounds and activity but no actual muse. None the less the frames have the ‘depicted' individuals name painted in gold letters.
* 3 drunk students from the mage's college are causing a ruckus in the street, causing hijinks and hilarity with their cantrips. One of them takes issue with the PCs, mistaking them for a reviled enemy. The gang tries to assert their dominance and challenges the enemy and their ‘minions' to a fight.
* A pack of (2d4 +2) rabid dogs bursts from an alley, directly in the path of the party.
* A chieftain born aloft on his vast shield by the shoulders of four tattooed warriors is rushed through the crowd, tailed by a Dwarf with a winged helm and a Goliath in striped pantaloons.
* A man in long white stockings with a glamorous golden quiff and accompanied by a small white dog disturbs the party to ask them if a hairy man with a black beard wearing a tricorne hat has been through here. Apparently, the man has stolen something very dear to him and must be found at once.
* A masked figure in a billowing black cloak leaps across the street from one rooftop to another. Their polished black mail gleams in the light. A smaller figure in a colorful leather jerkin with a quarterstaff strapped to their back jumps after him.
* You walk past an elite's compound as an angsty looking teenager emerges from a side-gate. They glance at the players and slouches off. After a minute or so banshee like screams emerge from the building...
* A building is being demolished on the street. The wrecking crew are on a break.
* A panicked crowd stampedes down the street. In the havoc you see innocents stumble and be crushed by the terrified crowd. Through the wails and screams you can hear one word: Giant.
* A sewer collapses into a sinkhole during heavy rains. Half of a neighborhood is now thirty feet underground. In a poor one: many people may be trapped beneath the rubble and possibly drowning. but only a few heroes care enough to try and save the victims. Will those greedy land-developers get their way and clear out those dirty poor people once and for all? Was this part of a planned attack? In a wealthier neighborhood: a few gold-pieces and trinkets hint that the sinkhole may hide a treasure cache; a wealthy noble might mourn the loss of their precious object-d'art and pay the heroes to delve the hole to retrieve it. Anywhere: a small horde of 3d6 low-level semi-intelligent sewer monsters emerge, shouting abuse at the ‘sky-demons' who just invaded their home; swarms of vermin; slip-and-slides; and a labyrinthian network of secret tunnels!
* A drug addict pleads for money from the players. He is suffering from the shakes, with his eyes darting in separate directions. He stammers unintelligibly in a hoarse voice, wringing his hands desperately. If the players don't help him out, it is revealed the addict is possessed by a Shadow Demon. He has the same stats as a commoner with +2 to DEX, INT, and CHA. He has the same resistances, immunities, vulnerabilities and abilities as a Shadow, and knows the spell Deeper Darkness and Shadow Evocation.