An urchin scrawls the finishing touches on a piece of street art. As they do the art shimmers and animates, much to the artist's delight.
Noncombat Encounters in the Undercity for Dungeons and Dragons 5e
Tables for Noncombat Encounters for Rough Streets & Back Alleys by Day and Night.
City noncombat - city streets | rich & poor | docks | vendors & guards | taverns & parks | back streets | fences & intrigue | shady | sewers | ruins | all noncombat
[art by Henrik Karppinen]
Rough Streets and Back Alleys
These are places where danger and uncertainty may lurk. Home to the wary, the desperate, the lost and the predatory.
At night the same streets take on a dangerous edge. Outcasts, criminals and thsoe from the city fringes gather in the dark.
From an Undercity Noncombat Encounters on DM's Guild.
Rough Streets by Day - Noncombat
| 1d20 | Noncombat Encounters - Rough Streets by Day |
|---|---|
| 1 | A well-dressed messenger stands out. They need help finding a place. |
| 2 | A squad of bloodied veterans marches past, ordering everyone inside. |
| 3 | A halfling scout is selling many pies and has a special one for a character. There is a message inside; or roll on Shady Characters |
| 4 | An urchin talks to an imp. If disturbed one vanishes and one cries out. |
| 5 | A skilled busker finishes last notes of a song before offering a hat with a flourish; "copper gets a song, silver gets a lie and gold gets a truth!". |
| 6 | An orc artist displays humanoid statues, repurposed from old furniture. |
| 7 | A street druid asks the group for some aid in caring for those others forget. They heal the innocent and punish those who prey on the weak. |
| 8 | A stall serves luscious smelling meat pies, but refuse to name the meat. |
| 9 | An urchin scrawls the finishing touches on a piece of street art. As they do the art shimmers and animates, much to the artist's delight. |
| 10 | Two ogres block an alley, playing a game involving thrown pebbles. |
| 11 | A few thugs threaten a goblin pulling a cart of cabbages. They spill the contents of the cart onto the floor, guffawing at the merchant's cries. |
| 12 | Many pots and vases contain colorful mushrooms emitting a soft light. |
| 13 | A beggar shows posters with gibberish rhetoric in an alley. When viewed from a certain place they have a disturbing hidden message. |
| 14 | A few locals start tailing the group, curious about the adventurers. |
| 15 | A few bandits disguised as the watch block the way, claiming the street is closed for construction. There are shouts and signs of smoke beyond. |
| 16 | Two kobolds try to hang a sign over a door, but can't reach high enough. |
| 17 | A desperate tribal warrior begs for work or money to pay for trip home. |
| 18 | A gnarled dwarf gladiator sells prosthetic limbs from a gray tent. Each bears the rune of a despised sorcerer. or roll on on Black Marketeers |
| 19 | Hordes of enraptured rats circle a lone rat, coronated with a tiny crown. |
| 20 | A dwarf cackling meaningless words pushes a ramshackle cart. On seeing a character, they scream of a shadowy monster before fleeing. |
Rough Streets by Night - Noncombat
| 1d20 | Noncombat Encounters - Rough Streets by Night |
|---|---|
| 1 | A queue of ragged folk queue under a sign saying "gold paid for blood". |
| 2 | A frustrated gnome knight (AC 16) in recycled plate shouts something, muffled by their helm. Their giant toad mount keeps throwing them off. |
| 3 | A gnarly dwarf offers a tour of local dives; or roll on Shady Characters |
| 4 | An alley is unlit, with a single runed door, bolted shut from the outside. |
| 5 | A character spots a trio of spies entering through a rooftop window. |
| 6 | A beautiful blue cat mewls sadly before fading from existence. What appeared as a pile of waste appears instead to be a freshly killed wizard. |
| 7 | A tattooed priest screams at the group that they are surrounded by evil. |
| 8 | A gang of bandits complains about a popular local tavern, saying the ale there is just too expensive and the owner should be taught a lesson. |
| 9 | A voice from a dark doorway offers a bridge and other wonders for sale. |
| 10 | Two kenku trick passersby from a rooftop, mimicking strange echoes. |
| 11 | There's a stream crossing here, the murky water thick with slime. Something shiny and metallic reflects the light of a lantern. |
| 12 | A wounded beggar asks for coin, diverting attention from a pickpocket. |
| 13 | Two veterans emerge into the street from an inn, continuing their brawl. |
| 14 | A group of gossiping vampire spawn are sat in a circle, knitting a large blanket. They are speculating what their patron wants it for. |
| 15 | With the sense of being watched, a ghost steps out of a wall, beckoning. |
| 16 | From a rattling suspended cage, a crawling claw tries to warn passersby. |
| 17 | From a bridge floating corpses can be seen. A character recognizes one. |
| 18 | A group of swaying myconid adults hang out in a circle around a strange tree. At their feet there's blood; or roll on Dangerous Creatures |
| 19 | A rat swarm devours a corpse in an alley just outside the main street. |
| 20 | A character spots a tiny decorated chest. It has a single word, "help", written on the bottom. (It is a component for the secret chest spell) |
From an Undercity Noncombat Encounters on DM's Guild.
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