Fantasy Encounters, Hazards & NPCs for City Streets Adventures

A disheveled merchant has a few loaded mules and a lone guard dog. They need someone to escort them to a dangerous part of the city.

Simple encounter tables for city streets in any fantasy setting. Tables for City Street Encounter Prompts, Street Hazards & Distractions and Quick City Streets NPCs.

[Art by Bob Greyvenstein]

Fantasy City Street Encounters

City streets encounters might a musician entertaining a crowd, guards taking an interest in things or cloaked figures in animal masks. There might be heavy stinking fog or a fire at risk of spreading.

A place of everyday folk and bustling crowds, which changes at nights or down side alleys out of sight from most. A place of artisans and traders, stooped priests and desperate rogues.

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

10 City Street Encounter Prompts

1d10	10 City Street Encounter Prompts
1	A talkative group of artists are sketching local landmarks. One of them, wearing a colourful hat, asks to sketch the group.
2	A rider is slumped over a lurching pony, with a bulging bag of papers.
3	A long-haired acolyte is loudly making proclamations of doom. One thing they say matches with a vivid dream a character recently had.
4	A carriage pulled by horses has a uniformed driver carries someone important. A gloved hand beckons for one a character to approach.
5	A few cloaked figures in animal masks are yelling and carry lit torches.
6	A disheveled merchant has a few loaded mules and a lone guard dog. They need someone to escort them to a dangerous part of the city.
7	A pair of well-dressed visitors are lost and holding a map. They have large bags and are attracting a lot of attention from the locals.
8	A squad of guards lead by a mage is moving everyone off the street.
9	A pair of young nobles are escorted by a few bodyguards. They seek entertainment, loudly making bets and commenting on passersby.
10	Several urchins hand out leaflets. There is a gathering that evening at a ruin, with entertainment, free food nd a very special guest.

City Street Hazards and Distractions

1d10	There is (or are)...
1	a religious procession or a thick mist descends
2	a crowd watching... d10 (1-2. a fight 3. a lively bard 4. an impressive illusion 5. a ceremony 6. fireworks 7. an animal 8. protesters 9. puppets 10. an execution)
3	a building at risk of collapse or a heavy hailstorm
4	heavy stinking fog or a hungry unruly mob
5	there is the strong smell of ... d10 (1-2. sewage 3. something tasty 4. dead bodies 5. fish 6. pigs 7. rotten food 8. perfume 9. cooking meat 10. flowers)
6	something smashes, falling from above or a stampede of animals
7	an approaching out of control wagon or a talking statue
8	sounds of ... d10 (1-2. someone in distress 3. breaking glass 4. an alarm 5. music 6. a crowd 7. a good party 8. an explosion 9. thunder 10. many birds)
9	a fire at risk of spreading or an annoying, persistent street vendor
10	a brawl that spills out into street or a sudden quake

Quick City Streets NPCs

1d10	Descriptor	Profession	who...
1	stooped or wererat	thug	loves gambling (or giving advice)
2	halfling or dramatic	entertainer	with a fine red hat (or one eye)
3	fidgety or beast-kin	artisan	with a proposal for the group
4	dwarf or desperate	adventurer	part of local faction (or temple)
5	smart or gnome	priest	rival (or ex-lover) of a character
6	elf or apprentice	trader	following someone or sketching
7	ecstatic or possessed	local guide	has lost everything (or a pet)
8	goblinoid or mounted	rogue	with their partner (or a guard)
9	carousing or demonic	noble	carrying a package (or message)
10	changeling or loud	mercenary	in formal (or ragged) clothes

More Encounters