5E Non-Combat Encounters for Countryside, Towns and Villages

A brightly-dressed gladiator retired to a farm and lost everything. Now they look for any work that doesn't involve fighting

Non-Combat Encounters using creatures from the D&D Monster Manual. For Town, Villages and Countryside.

Civilised Encounters

Non-Combat Encounters for civilisation and inhabited areas such as rural villages, rugged farmland, prosperous towns and cosmopolitan cities. Backwaters of empires, small kingdoms or rising city-states.

Inspired by my D&D Encounter Generator and available on DM's Guild as Non-Combat Creature Encounters - Random Tables

Non-Combat Encounters for Town and City

1d20	Non-Combat Encounters for Town and City
1	A swarm of ravens (or several sprites) which follows the party and shouts warnings and insults at them. Flee if attacked to return later.
2	Patrol of guards are mounted on riding horses. More interested in impressing the locals than watching for any trouble.
3	A giant goat with a packsaddle and bulging bags. Munching on a garden
4	A berserker is chasing their mount, a giant hyena who has stolen their lunch. The locals treat this as a normal occurrence.
5	A yuan-ti pureblood is subtly selling beasts and gathering information. In a handcart they have cages with snakes, stirges and spiders
6	A weretiger in hybrid form is preaching of a god known only to them.
7	Several commoner urchins are holding a quest notice and talking of becoming heroes. They ask a character to read it to them
8	An awakened tree is a local celebrity and is telling stories to children.
9	A stone golem carries a large basket. It can take up to 6 medium creatures anywhere in the city for 25 gold pieces.
10	Several acolytes from a nearby temple are recruiting for a sports team
11	Several mastiffs beg for food from the party. They perform several impressive tricks including acrobatics and forming a dog pyramid
12	A succubus/incubus rides in a chair carried by a few thugs. They observe the world from behind a thin curtain while they plot their next evil
13	A storm giant(or medusa) is telling ancient tales and singing barely known ballads at a junction. They repeat this once every year.
14	An ogre and an awakened giant boar are dressed in bright costumes, promoting their fighting show starting tomorrow
15	Several cultists and a cult fanatic are being led in chains to a public execution by several guards. A character recognizes one of the cultists
16	A mob of commoners and bandits are looking at a picture poster defaming a local merchant. One asks the party what they think.
17	A few tribal warriors are drunk and trying place a cart on top of a statue
18	An elderly manticore has landed on a nearby rooftop. It barely has any strength and asks party about somewhere suitable to die nearby
19	A doppelganger is offering a half-price sale on several riding horses. In about an hour an inn discovers several horses missing from its stables
20	A giant lizard with a collar placidly watches party. Tame but owner dead

Non-Combat Encounters for Countryside and Villages

1d20	City Encounters Mid Level
1	A group of acolytes and guards are going into the wilds to perform a wedding ceremony and celebration. Invite the party along.
2	A lonely half-orc (stats of an orc) is riding an old draft horse. Tries talking about the weather, farming, livestock and crop rotations.
3	A few worried bandits are looking for a pet dog that has gone missing
4	A few bullywugs are taking giant frogs to market. One speaks Common
5	A scout is training a young owlbear. Currently it is afraid of everything.
6	A veteran recognizes one of the characters. They are a retired soldier.
7	A spectator (or deva) guards a nearby shrine of sun but hasn't had trouble for a century. It is always trying to raise funds for the shrine.
8	A family of starving commoners are moving out of the area pulling a rickety cart. Desperate and offer to sell a healing potion for 5 gp
9	A beholder is looking after land of an abandoned farm. It is missing its central eye and locals report it seems to think it is one of them
10	A few spies from a nearby city are spying on a local. They are badly disguised as locals and have horrible accents.
11	A herd of wild ponies are fascinated by one character or companion
12	A brightly-dressed gladiator retired to a farm and lost everything. Now they look for any work that doesn't involve fighting
13	A thug is visiting family and bored. Desperate for game of cards or dice
14	A herd of goats is tended by a commoner. Follows group asking for tales
15	A good cloud giant is trying to buy good quality animals with gold. But locals are all too scared of them to trade
16	A gargoyle is obsessed with carving maps of the local area into stone
17	A distinctive and spirited riding horse (or mammoth) has escaped from a nearby estate. A reward has been promised for its safe return.
18	A local ranger (stats of a bandit captain) mounted on a giant boar is patrolling for any signs of trouble. Stops to chat with the group.
19	A dao is serving penance for a sin by spending 101 years on the mortal world helping farmers grow crops and tend to beasts
20	A noble is desperate for news and invites the group to their estate

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