I had an npc who ran a series of cons where members of his gang would loudly try to sell enchanted items to each other. My players were always drooling for magic and twice bought counterfeits from my street cons.
An option is that there have been plenty of children gone missing, with some detective skills and elbow grease they discover that it's a doppelganger that has gained the taste for children flesh (so yeah, it's Pennywise)
Riffs on these ideas: House fire encounter - this can also be a good way for PCs who are newcomers to a city to grow an instant reputation. Rescuing children and housecats is certainly good for some free drinks, but dousing the flames with magic would get even more attention from the watch or government. A fire in a big city is a potential large scale disaster and someone who can stop one is going to get work - or have their decanter of endless water requisitioned. Being famous isn't always a good thing either. Also a way to hint at the city's overall tone. If the crowd just watches and does nothing to douse the flames, or worse treats it like entertainment, that sends a message. If the watch charges the homeowners with a crime for letting the fire happen, that's one too. Or maybe the town watch *are* the firefighters, and will remember if the PCs help or hinder them. Ancient Rome's closest thing to a police force were mostly firefighters, patrolling at night to keep watch for fires and somewhat haphazardly looking for criminals while they did it. Urchin rumormonger - in a darker setting, this can also be a junior member of a thieves' guild, setting up strangers for a trap. Or slightly less sinister, a pitch man for a nearby tavern, inn, brothel, or similar enterprise, using tailored rumors to push the PCs to certain businesses that he gets bennies from. Sermonizing cleric - could wind up with the PCs needing to rescue him from a beating or worse if he's condemning something the crowd is strongly in favor of - preaching sobriety and chastity to a bunch of stereotypical sailors on shore leave, for ex - thereby earning a favor from him. Or the party could join in themselves, getting an entirely different type of friends. Demonic rune - could probably be detected by splashing water on/near it rather than needing actual rain, although what the homeowner thinks of people throwing buckets of water at their house is up in the air. And what if this is the thieves' guild marking buildings for future attention or as dangerous to burgle? Or maybe it's some prank by hooligans to try to frighten the residents of the area? Maybe whoever painted the rune doesn't even realize it could have magical significance? If so, where did they learn it from? Weeping widow - hey, are the PCs owed a favor for helping put out a fire or keeping a mouthy god-botherer from getting beaten up? Maybe that could get the lady a job. Or maybe she's a con artist and they'll find her on the same bridge the next day - or on a different bridge later on, maybe not even in the same city. Maybe they don't help her out and she drowns herself after (or while) talking to them, and the watch hears about it and wants a word about why the widow of their comrade died like that? Tabaxi wizard - alignment/general rottenness test there if the PCs find the spellbook in all the clutter but aren't seen doing it. Do they hand it over? Keep it for themselves? Quietly steal and fence it? Good chance to put some temptation in the way of the PC who's most likely to be tempted. Sewer crawl - the NPC who hired the party is in for a beating after pulling that vanishing act, methinks. Of course he might turn out to be a doppleganger, mightn't he? After the mimic you've set the stage for it, shapeshifters gotta stick together, right?
Love all of these ideas! I specifically choose not to elaborate too much on the encounters, partially for the sake of video length and partially because I hope that DMs/GMs will take the ideas and run with them. Great stuff!
@@TheCuriousOwlbear Sometimes when passing by one I do like to circle overhead 5-7 times just to freak them out. I feel it serves them right for not studying what kind of dragons are friendly.
I had an npc who ran a series of cons where members of his gang would loudly try to sell enchanted items to each other. My players were always drooling for magic and twice bought counterfeits from my street cons.
This is an amazing take on the "snake oil salesman"!
LOL that's pretty brilliant!
An option is that there have been plenty of children gone missing, with some detective skills and elbow grease they discover that it's a doppelganger that has gained the taste for children flesh (so yeah, it's Pennywise)
Riffs on these ideas:
House fire encounter - this can also be a good way for PCs who are newcomers to a city to grow an instant reputation. Rescuing children and housecats is certainly good for some free drinks, but dousing the flames with magic would get even more attention from the watch or government. A fire in a big city is a potential large scale disaster and someone who can stop one is going to get work - or have their decanter of endless water requisitioned. Being famous isn't always a good thing either. Also a way to hint at the city's overall tone. If the crowd just watches and does nothing to douse the flames, or worse treats it like entertainment, that sends a message. If the watch charges the homeowners with a crime for letting the fire happen, that's one too. Or maybe the town watch *are* the firefighters, and will remember if the PCs help or hinder them. Ancient Rome's closest thing to a police force were mostly firefighters, patrolling at night to keep watch for fires and somewhat haphazardly looking for criminals while they did it.
Urchin rumormonger - in a darker setting, this can also be a junior member of a thieves' guild, setting up strangers for a trap. Or slightly less sinister, a pitch man for a nearby tavern, inn, brothel, or similar enterprise, using tailored rumors to push the PCs to certain businesses that he gets bennies from.
Sermonizing cleric - could wind up with the PCs needing to rescue him from a beating or worse if he's condemning something the crowd is strongly in favor of - preaching sobriety and chastity to a bunch of stereotypical sailors on shore leave, for ex - thereby earning a favor from him. Or the party could join in themselves, getting an entirely different type of friends.
Demonic rune - could probably be detected by splashing water on/near it rather than needing actual rain, although what the homeowner thinks of people throwing buckets of water at their house is up in the air. And what if this is the thieves' guild marking buildings for future attention or as dangerous to burgle? Or maybe it's some prank by hooligans to try to frighten the residents of the area? Maybe whoever painted the rune doesn't even realize it could have magical significance? If so, where did they learn it from?
Weeping widow - hey, are the PCs owed a favor for helping put out a fire or keeping a mouthy god-botherer from getting beaten up? Maybe that could get the lady a job. Or maybe she's a con artist and they'll find her on the same bridge the next day - or on a different bridge later on, maybe not even in the same city. Maybe they don't help her out and she drowns herself after (or while) talking to them, and the watch hears about it and wants a word about why the widow of their comrade died like that?
Tabaxi wizard - alignment/general rottenness test there if the PCs find the spellbook in all the clutter but aren't seen doing it. Do they hand it over? Keep it for themselves? Quietly steal and fence it? Good chance to put some temptation in the way of the PC who's most likely to be tempted.
Sewer crawl - the NPC who hired the party is in for a beating after pulling that vanishing act, methinks. Of course he might turn out to be a doppleganger, mightn't he? After the mimic you've set the stage for it, shapeshifters gotta stick together, right?
Love all of these ideas! I specifically choose not to elaborate too much on the encounters, partially for the sake of video length and partially because I hope that DMs/GMs will take the ideas and run with them. Great stuff!
These videos should have more views, since they are great on their own and good for inspiration.
I'm thankful for having found your channel.
Welcome! I'm glad to hear they're useful
Really appreciate so many non combat encounters
Thanks for making these. Very useful
Fantastic video, my friend! And thanks for the shout out! 😉
i love so many of these, cant wait to use them!
Nice video and encounter descriptions.
Thanks, friend! More on the way!
Good stuff man thanks
Man I love your work
Thanks, friend!
Jimmy the Hand, by any chance?
I always try to avoid big cities. Big cities are were scum bags live. I prefer small towns at largest.
And that's a fair opinion to have!
@@TheCuriousOwlbear Sometimes when passing by one I do like to circle overhead 5-7 times just to freak them out. I feel it serves them right for not studying what kind of dragons are friendly.