30 City Encounters

1-City Guard patrol

Six strong City Guards with halberds are out on patrol, and if the PCs are wanted , they will have a huge fight on their hands.

2-Beggar

An unhappy beggar is sitting on the ground dressed in rags and asking for money. If the PCs donate a coin or two, depending on the GM they could either get information or some other help of some sort, or a blessing to their Luck skills, or they could merely be hassled for money by other beggars who see them as soft targets.

3-Drunken pub patrons

Some people who have obviously drunk far too much walk out of a pub. This might lead to a violent drunken brawl between them and the PCs-if it does, the drunkards will have lowered skill but increased hit points because of the alcohol, which lowers their ability to fight but also lowers their ability to feel pain as well. If the fight goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight and try to arrest everybody involved as they don't yet know who started it.

4-Street market

A street market is taking place. Most stalls are just selling food and things of that sort, but PCs can, if they look long enough, find daggers, minor but useful magical charms, and other such things that are of use to PCs. They are unlikely to find things like longswords or major magical items, as these are not allowed to be sold there, but they might find a contact working at the market who knows where a second, black market with much more interesting items is located.

5-Noble and bodyguards

A rich noble and several sturdy bodyguards come strolling along the street. Perhaps the PCs need to meet him, in which case they will need to go about it the right way and be respectful. Otherwise if they don't bother the noble he won't bother them, if they do they'll have a real fight on their hands.  If the fight goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight on the noble's side.

6-Drug dealer

A drug dealer tries to sell the PCs his wares-what said drugs do and how illegal they are is up to the GM. He won't fight them unless attacked, and if they do attack him and the fight goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight and try to arrest everybody involved as they don't yet know who started it.

7-traveling mage

A mage is walking through town, and may be prepared to enchant the weapons of the PCs for a large sum in money, making them into +1 magic weapons that can harm those who can only be harmed by magical weapons. If they attack him, he has some very powerful and nasty magic to fight them with. If the PCs do attack him and the fight goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight and try to arrest the PCs.

8-Busker

A busker is playing music and if the PCs donate any money to him, he will cast a weak Luck spell on them that gives them a +1 bonus to their Luck for the rest of the day.

9-Public execution

A murderer is being publicly hanged upon the town gallows by the public executioner in front of a loud and angry crowd. If the PCs stay to watch the execution, pickpockets are in the crowd. Roll a D6 per PC, on a 1 they lose something of value to the thieves.

10-Thief being chased by someone

A thief goes running down the street pursued by an angry shopkeeper. If the PCs intervene and trip him up, they will get a reward of money from the shopkeeper, but will earn the displeasure of the Guild  of Thieves, and will not be welcome at the city's black market if they should somehow discover it later.

11-little match girl

A little girl selling matches sits in a corner. She is no threat to anyone, and if the PCs buy her a meal they get a +1 bonus to their Luck the next time they need to test it, as the gods and goddesses favour Good people.

12-Wedding procession

A wedding couple wearing crowns and their families and friends are happily heading towards a temple to get married.

13-Fire fire!

A rich noble's house is on fire and the PCs must decide if they want to help fight the fire, ignore it, or perhaps try and loot the house. Fighting the fire will get them rewarded with a pouch of thirty gold pieces once the fire is out, and praised as well. Trying to loot risk getting burned by the flames, and if they loot for more then five minutes in real time a City Guard patrol will arrive and they will have to fight, flee or surrender, but they can roll a D6 for what they loot.

D1-a chest with a hundred gold pieces.

D2-plenty of food.

D3-a spell book-it is up to the GM what spells the book contains.

D4-the fine clothes of a nobleman

D5-A treasure map that leads to the Gygaxian Gyre.

D6-They get burned instead with 2 D6 worth of Hit Points, which serves them right for trying to loot a burning  house.

14-Baliffs throwing someone out

Someone is being evicted from his home by bailiffs who are throwing everything out on the street.

15-Robbers!

The PCs come under attack from a group of bandits that is about their size in numbers. If the fight  goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight on the side of the PCs.

16-Funeral procession

The coffin of a wealthy man is being taken to the cemetery followed by his weeping family and close friends and a priest.

17-Cowboys driving herd of cattle through town

A group of cowboys are driving a noisy herd of long horned cattle through town to the market to be slaughtered and made into beef, blocking the street in the process. If the PCs are being chased by someone they will either have to surrender, turn and fight, or try and barricade themselves in a nearby shop.

18-Street boxing match

A formal and legal boxing match is taking place in the street, and the crowd is betting on the outcome. If the PCs decide to bet, throw a D6 for each boxer and the highest number wins. If the PCs win, they get twice as much money as they chose to bet.

19-House with plague being nailed up

Somebody is being forcibly locked into their house, and the doors and windows are being nailed up. If the PCs help the person escape when those responsible have gone, he will reward them with money, but they will come down with a plague and either fall sick themselves-without healing magic or medical help, the plague has a one in six chance of killing within three days , or end up immune to the plague but spreading it wherever they go, sooner or later causing the City Guards to come after them in very large numbers.

20-Rowdy street protest

The city guards look on as a thousand plus people chant angry slogans against the city government and it's high taxation. Should a PC try and whip up the anger of the crowd for his or her own reasons, the guards will try and arrest him and any PCs who get in the way of the arrest.

21-two gangs fighting each other

Two violent criminal gangs are fighting each other for reasons that the PCs don't know about. If they intervene on the side of one gang they will gain it's friendship but the other gang will become their enemies. After a certain number of combat rounds the City Guards will turn up and try to arrest anyone involved in the fight, the PCs included if they are fighting in it. If the PCs fight the City Guards they will gain the respect of the city's criminal element but will become wanted people by the City Guards.

22-politician trying to get support

A ranting politician is trying to get himself elected  to the City Council by uttering a lot of hate speech and if the PCs object they may well have to fight his menacing brownshirt bodyguards and face having the City Guards coming after them later for interfering with a political election rally. But if they do get into such a fight, the city's dwarf, halfling and hobbit population will befriend them and help them complete their quest.

23-wailing crazy man

An insane homeless man is wailing at demons only he can see. He is no threat to the PCs unless they get too close, when he attacks them with a dagger.

24-woman running from brutal husband

A young woman is running away from her husband who is chasing her with a club, and the PCs will have to decide if they intervene or not. If they help her, she will thank them and try and tag along with them rather then go back home.

25-royal procession

The new King and his many courtiers and guards in their finest clothes are parading up the main street to the main religious building of the city to be crowned in an amazing procession. If the PCs try and push through there will be too many guards for even them to fight and win and they will have to flee the area.

26-beer seller

A beer seller is selling one of 30 Beers for a reasonable price.

27-Biycycle jousting

A crowd of people are laughing at a couple of jousting bicyclists who have improvised shields and blunt wooden lances and are clearly having a lot of fun.

28-speeding rider

Someone gallops extremely fast through town making everyone run out of the way.

29-chain gang

A group of morose prisoners in chains are being forced to clean the streets under the supervision of several frowning City Guards. If the PCs are not wanted for earlier crimes the City Guards won't pay any attention to them, but if they are, the guards will try and arrest them, and will fight them whilst blowing whistles at the same time. If the fight goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight against the PCs.

30-press gang

A press gang is looking for people to conscript into the army or navy (GMs choice) and if the PCs are not careful, they will have a fight on their hands. The press gang fight with clubs rather then swords, so as not to risk killing their targets.  If the fight goes on for more then a certain number of rounds, someone will tell a patrol of City Guards what is going on and they will join the fight on the press gang's side.