16 Town Encounters, Day or Night

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Towns develop as a natural, typically geographical center for farmers from surrounding villages to sell and trade what the farms have yielded in exchange for money to pay rents and taxes to the local lords and the advanced tools and equipment with which to work their lands. Likewise, the lords of the surrounding villages come to a central place where they can meet with others of like social class and partake in luxury services too specialized for a village to economically sustain. What follows are some of the sorts of characters that pass through town.


  1. 7 nondescript tradesmen on their way to or from their work. If on their way from work, there is a 75% chance they are headed towards the nearest tavern. If they are attacked, it is 50% likely guards or members of the town watch will come to their aid within 1-4 rounds, and 25% likely that bystanders will step in after 1 round.
  2. An ordinary-looking female fighter and her henchwoman is really a paladin (P5, 32 hp) and her squire (P4, 20 hp). There is a 25% chance that they are on an important mission and unable to offer aid. Otherwise, they will help any non-evil character or party with a compelling and genuine need. They will attempt to convert anyone they help to their faith, if possible.
  3. A well-dressed fighter (F6, 36 hp) traveling with 4 friends (F6, 36 hp). Any rude remarks will give offense, and the fighters will challenge the offenders to a fight.
  4. A nondescript group of 4 men who are really brigands (F0, 6 hp) will be watching the party as a future prospect. They have 6 other men (F0, 6 hp) and a leader (F3/T3, 15 hp) with them when they do ultimately confront the party.
  5. 2 female servants going about their business. There is a 5% chance they are apprentices (MU3, 6 hp) to a mage of unthinkably high level (MU7, hp 18), and a 5% chance that they are witches (MU4/C4, 16 hp). Otherwise they are just ordinary women (F0, 3 hp) 75% likely to be married.
  6. A pedlar with a pushcart selling all manner of herbs, tonics of questionable merit, non-weapon miscellaneous items of all sorts and less than 1 gp value, with a 1 in 6 chance of selling one of the following magic items: 1) potion of delusion, 2) curse scroll, 3) ring of weakness, 4) bowl of watery death, 5) phylactery of monstrous attention, 6) kuroth’s quill. He does not know the true value of these items and will part with them for a price of 1-120 (1d6x1d20) gp.
  7. A female solicitor approaching bypassers to talk them into heading into one of the nearby shops.
  8. 6 ordinary bypassers going about their business. There is a 25% chance that they are really thieves in disguise (T1-4, 6 hp) and a 15% chance they are really a knight (F5, 28 hp), 2 esquires (F3, 14 hp), and 3 armingers (F1, 7 hp). Otherwise they are ordinary men and women (F0, 3 hp).
  9. A beggar asking for coin. One arm is bound in a sling, he leans on a wooden crutch, and holds a small wooden bowl. There is a 25% chance he’s really a fully abled thief (T5, 18 hp). Otherwise he will be a normal man (F0, 3 hp). There is only a 5% chance the beggar is truly crippled (F0, 1 hp), and a 5% chance the beggar will actually be a monk looking to teach a lesson to those who would mistreat beggars (M7,  hp 18).
  10. 3 ordinary pickpockets (T2, 5 hp). PCs who are specifically watching townsfolk will not be targetted but may witness any pickpocket attempt. Those who are not paying particular attention will be the targets of the pickpockets.
  11. 3 male servants going about their business.
  12. An ordinary man and his attendant are going about their business. The man is really either (50/50 chance) a necromancer (C6/MU3, 24 hp) or a sorcerer (MU8/C4, 24 hp) and the attendant is a thief (T4, 14 hp). Any blatant display of magic or magic item will catch their attention.
  13. 3 merchants (T2-5, hp 10) with 4 mercenary guards (F1, 10 hp) and a captain (F4, 20 hp). They are well-dressed and wealthy, and it is 50% likely they are headed to a noble’s ball or other high class establishment, otherwise they are meeting for a special trade or negotiation.
  14. A thief (T7, 24 hp) with 2 apprentices (T3, 8 hp) on guild business. They are unlikely to steal from the PCs in light of their other business but will certainly not turn down an opportunity made too easy for them. If approached by a PC thief, they may escort them to the local guildmaster if the NPC reaction roll results as friendly or better.
  15. A lone assassin (A4, 14 hp), 25% likely to be in disguise gathering information, 25% likely to be following someone, 25% likely to be acting as a thief, and 25% likely to simply be a serial murderer in search of a victim.
  16. 8 shadows (HD3+3, 22 hp) skulking in and around abandoned buildings, the outskirts of town, sewer tunnels, or in seldom-used cellars.

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 13, 2017 at 7:17 PM

    Nice could you make more of these

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dave FolgerOctober 13, 2017 at 10:34 PM

      Absolutely! It was a bit of work, but I had fun coming up with these.

      Delete

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