Fantasy Encounters, Hazards & NPCs for Sewers RPG Adventures

A wary repair crew are working on something and have a guard with them. They have a route back to surface and know a second way up

Simple encounter tables for sewers terrain in any fantasy setting. Tables for Sewers Encounter Prompts, Sewer Hazards & Distractions and Quick Sewers NPCs.

[Art by Henrik Karppinen]

Fantasy Sewer Encounters

Sewers encounters might a patrol of sewer guards, ratfolk with their spies, or a lost cat with a silver collar. There might be rising water levels or a slime that corrodes metal.

A place of potential dangers just below the surface of a fantasy city, dominated by the polluted waters and hidden secrets. A place of renegade tricksters, ratfolk, smugglers and diseased hermits.

There is a fantasy encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DriveThruRPG as Sewer Encounters.

10 Sewers Encounter Prompts

1d10	10 Sewers Encounter Prompts
1	A crime boss and several thugs are waiting to meet someone for an important deal. They aren't entirely sure who they are waiting for.
2	A hungry gigantic centipede makes a clacking noise, and can be driven off by making a similar noise, making it think a rival is near.
3	Several well-armed misfits are on patrol, working for city authorities.
4	A group of refugees (or urchins) live here in tents and makeshift homes, in a desperate situation. Will try to trade junk or information.
5	Several ratlike humanoids are accompanied by rat spies, talking loudly with a powerful ancient ghost current events in the city.
6	A swarm of glowing beetles are eating corpses in distinctive uniforms
7	A wary repair crew are working on something and have a guard with them. They have a route back to surface and know a second way up
8	A distinctive cat is disheveled and lost, with a silver name collar.
9	A group of froglike (or fungal) humanoids wants to trade with group, have valuable herbs (or gems) but place no value on precious metal.
10	A line of robed figures carry a body. Will ask group for a pass phrase.

Sewers Hazards and Distractions

1d10	There is (or are)...
1	a swarm of curious fireflies (or crabs); or a wave of sewage
2	something on the wall is (or are)... d10 (1-2. graffiti 3. a sign up to a tavern 4. murals 5. engraved map of area 6. a list of names 7. a coin slot 8. an iron box 9. advertisement for a gambling den 10. a riddle)
3	rising water levels or protective glyphs that warn and then harm
4	grasping vines or bodies infected with burrowing grubs
5	slime (or fungi) on the wall which ... d10 (1-2. is bright green 3. drains heat 4. is telepathic 5. corrodes metal 6. glows when creatures are near 7. is edible 8. absorbs light 9. has eyes 10. controls host creatures )
6	a risk of a collapse or a toxic cloud
7	an area of flammable gas or an area of magical darkness
8	sounds of ... d10 (1-2. running steps 3. screaming 4. laughter 5. rushing water 6. metallic grinding 7. splashes 8. a door slamming 9. a bell 10. growls)
9	a slippery floor and a pool of acid or a disturbance of many bats
10	a trap that triggers an alarm (or several darts); or a blast of cold air

Quick Sewers NPCs

1d10	Descriptor	Profession	who...
1	goblin or desperate	smuggler	is searching for stairs (or a ruin)
2	lost or shapechanging	hermit	is mapping the area or in a boat
3	ratling or hooded	guard	has a bounty on their head
4	renegade or ghostly	vagabond	has a pet spider (or slime)
5	dwarf or despairing	thief	recognises a character
6	paranoid or merfolk	cultist	leads several thugs (or wererats)
7	frogfolk or singing	trickster	fills jars with sewage (or ooze)
8	diseased or possessed	warlock	is marked by a forbidden god
9	undead or wary	fence	can turn into a rat (or bat)
10	drunk or vampiric	spy	carries a large box (or body)

More Encounters