An aggressive vendor of outlandish festival hats places them on unsuspecting passersby. They are promoting for an upcoming event.
Noncombat Encounters for street sellers, city gates and guard patrols for Dungeons and Dragons 5e
Tables for Noncombat Encounters for Street Sellers and Gates & Guards.
City noncombat - city streets | rich & poor | docks | vendors & guards | taverns & parks | back streets | fences & intrigue | shady | sewers | ruins | all noncombat
[art by Henrik Karppinen]
Mobile Merchants and City Watch
Street sellers are vendors who might approach the group nearly anywhere, with something to sell or gossip to spread.
City guards in D&D have a hard time, facing mouthy adventurers, shapechanging terrors and a host of other hidden threats.
From an City Noncombat Encounters on DM's Guild.
Street Seller Encounters - Noncombat
Unless otherwise mentioned vendors are commoners with Persuasion +2 and Intuition +2.
| 1d20 | Noncombat Encounters - Street Sellers |
|---|---|
| 1 | An acolyte sells pricy charms. Buyers get a day's worth of their prayers. |
| 2 | A cake maker is handing out excellent free samples from a handcart. They specialize in large complex cakes such as castles and temples. |
| 3 | A cloaked bullywug in torn leather boots sells bone jewelry at low prices. |
| 4 | A snack seller tussles with a trinket vendor at a busy street corner. Each claims they got there first, but are now leaving their wares unguarded. |
| 5 | A busy street vendor is selling a variety of fruit. And juicy gossip. |
| 6 | An adorable halfling child has a table offering a selection of magical items. Investigation reveals the items are homemade craft projects. |
| 7 | A fruit seller needs someone to watch a cart while they make a delivery. |
| 8 | A dwarf sells colorful fabrics from a wagon. A cult fanatic is excitedly purchasing lots of them and asking for particular designs. |
| 9 | An animated armor carries a tray of free ale samples for a local tavern. |
| 10 | A drow is selling pies from a cart, with various meat and fruit ones. Anyone asking for a tart instead gets a whispered message in their ear. |
| 11 | A cultist sells cheap cups of wine, and then hands out leaflets on a cult. |
| 12 | A gnome scout is selling items from their travels. In a locked case is a strange clockwork device from a temple buried deep in a mountain. |
| 13 | A burly thug is selling a variety of crawling claws, kept in various jars. |
| 14 | A vocal druid sells tulips, fundraising for a campaign against planned building over an ancient grove. Also has leaflets for midnight meetings. |
| 15 | A pair of elderly goblins run what looks like a child’s lemonade stand. |
| 16 | An aggressive vendor of outlandish festival hats places them on unsuspecting passersby. They are promoting for an upcoming event. |
| 17 | An amicable scout sells fancy bone and metal dice from a wheelbarrow. |
| 18 | A pseudodragon sits on a blind mage's shoulder, telepathically guiding them through the crowd. They sell novelty magic items, mostly useless. |
| 19 | An orc sells a variety of bright, pungent fungi. With starter kits for more. |
| 20 | As a seller of fertility potions makes a sales pitch, they are accosted by a bald couple. They want a refund after a "cure" made their hair fall out. |
Gates and Guards Encounters - Noncombat
Use 1d10 for only Gate Encounters. Use d10+10 for guards who could be encountered anywhere.
| 1d20 | Noncombat Encounters - Gates and Guards |
|---|---|
| 1 | A veteran drives a wagon loaded with a cage of people out of the gates. |
| 2 | The gate appears unattended as the guards on duty are rolling dice in the shadows. They loudly curse each other and ask a character to join in. |
| 3 | A gate guard stops the group to tell of a lifelong dream to write a novel. |
| 4 | A strange wall of darkness has formed a short distance from the gate. A cautious scout is warily approaching it, watched by anxious comrades. |
| 5 | A saddled riding horse trots past the gate. Its saddlebags are torn open. |
| 6 | These gates have been ordered closed, only to be opened for those approved by the archmage who is now residing in the guardhouse. |
| 7 | A guard is arguing with a magically awakened elephant at the gate. |
| 8 | A wagon train approaches the gates, led by a werebear in priest’s robes. |
| 9 | Several guards search a circus wagon as a nervous bugbear stands by. |
| 10 | A singed sign by the gate notes d100 days since the last dragon attack. |
| 11 | A group of guards are digging up the road but won't tell anyone why. |
| 12 | A group of guards are marching single-file, led by a hobgoblin captain in a polished silver cuirass, attempting to enforce a new curfew. |
| 13 | A pair of guards are training a curious young owlbear with little success. |
| 14 | A veteran guard stops the group to point out a sign stating that no elk are allowed within city limits. And asks them to report any. |
| 15 | A patrol of guards hunts for a goblin who snuck through under a cart. |
| 16 | Several mean-looking guards have set up a checkpoint on the edge of the district, stopping people from entering unless they "qualify." |
| 17 | Drunk guards hurl insults at passersby. They serve a feared sergeant. |
| 18 | Two diligent guards are asking around if anyone has seen any sign of kobolds, as a gang of them are suspected in a string of thefts. |
| 19 | A guard has a pair of mastiffs who bark loudly at a halfling on a mule. |
| 20 | A veteran is harassing a gnome messenger with a bag of letters. The guard seems to expect a bribe the other can't afford. |
From an City Noncombat Encounters on DM's Guild.
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