Urban Encounters
Animals on the Loose. The character see one or more unexpected animals loose in the street. This challenge could be anything from a pack of baboons to an escaped circus bear, tiger, or elephant.
Announcement. a herald, town crier, mad person, or other individual makes an announcement on a street corner for all to hear. The announcement might foreshadow some upcoming event (such as a public execution), communicate important information to the general masses (such as a new royal decree), or convey a dire omen or warning.
Brawl. A brawl erupts near the adventurers. It could be a tavern brawl; a battle between rival factions, families, or gangs in the city; or a struggle between city guards or criminals. The characters could be witnesses, hit by a stray arrow fire, or mistaken for members of one group and attacked by the other.
Bullies. The characters witness dice: 1d4+2 bullies harassing an out-of-towner (use the commoner statistics in the Monster Manual for all of them). A bully flees as soon as he or she takes any amount of damage.
Companion. One or more characters are approached by a local who takes a friendly interest in the party’s activities. As a twist, the would-be companion might be a spy sent to gather information on the adventurers.
Contest. The adventurers are drawn into an impromptu contest- anything from an intellectual test or a drinking competition- or witness a duel.
Corpse. The adventurers find a humanoid corpse.
Draft. The characters are drafted by a member of the city or town watch, who needs their help to deal with an immediate problem. As a twist, the member of the watch might be a disguise criminal trying to lure the party into an ambush.
Drunk. A tipsy drunk staggers toward a random party member, mistaking him or her for someone else.
Fire. A fire breaks out, and the characters have a chance to help put out the flames before it spreads.
Found Trinket. The characters find dice:Trinkets Table.
Guard Harassment. The adventurers are cornered by a dice: 1d4+1 guards eager to throw their weight around. If threatened, the guards call out for help and might attract the attention of other guards or citizens nearby.
Pickpocket. A thief tries to steal from a random character. Characters whose passive Perception scores are equal to or greater than the thief’s Sleight of Hand Check (dice: 1d20+5) catch the theft in progress.
Procession. The adventurers encounter a group of citizens either in parading in celebration or forming and funeral procession.
Runaway Cart. A team of horses pulling a wagon races through the city streets. The adventurers must avoid the horses. If they stop the wagon, the owner is grateful.
Shady Transaction. The characters witness a shade transaction between two cloaked figures.
Spectacle. The characters witness a form of public entertainment, such as a talented bard’s impersonation of a royal personage, a street circus, a puppet show, a flashy magic act, a royal visit, or a public execution.
Urchin. A street urchin gloms onto the adventurers and follows them around until frightened off.