# Personnel Issues Roll on the table below to determine if someone the party is interacting with has a personal or life issue that they are currently dealing with. This could help to inform the NPC’s character better, create an opportunity, or even provide something the PCs could exploit. `dice:[[Rumors & NPCs#^5f5721]]` # NPCs # Rumors Rumors fly around settlements like chaff in the wind. Of course, the great majority of them ultimately prove to be false, but some may have more to them. Sometimes, a rumor may hold the tiniest grain of truth or, as the bard says, sometimes truth can be stranger than fiction. Below is a table of rumors that could be drifting around your settlement. Most are general in nature and could be applied to just about any settlement, though a handful are specific to certain settlement types. They may be utter rubbish, gospel truth, or anywhere in between. # Tables #### Personnel Issues | d20 | Personnel Issues | | ----- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Arrogant.** They think they are above their situation and want (or believe they *deserve*) better. | | 2 | **Gullible.** They are naive or trusting. | | 3 | **Grudging.** They are bitter about something. | | 4 | **Greedy.** They are willing to sacrifice their convictions if the price is right. | | 5 | **Lazy/Undisciplined.** They are unfocused and unmotivated, doing the minimal amount they can get away with. | | 6 | **Tired.** They have not slept for a while, due to an intense work or life situation. | | 7 | **Mistreated.** They feel they have been treated poorly or inappropriately by someone they regularly deal with. | | 8 | **Underequipped.** They do not have the best tools for a situation. | | 9 | **Impoverished.** They do not have enough money for what they need. | | 10 | **Undertrained.** They did not receive adequate instruction for a task or job they must complete. | | 11-20 | **No issues.** They are satisfied, know their place, and like their life. | ^5f5721 #### Heritage #### NPC Stuff #### Rumors | d100 | Rumor | | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | Misfortune has fallen upon a prominent figure residing near to, but outside the bounds of, the settlement (stripped of title, robbed, murdered, lost at cards, etc). | | 3-4 | Neighboring cities are preparing to go to war with one another. | | 5-6 | A local noble has just married the heir of a well-loved (or greatly-loathed) family. | | 7-8 | An increase in taxes is about to implemented, to pay for an expensive and ambitious project. | | 9-10 | Taxes have not been collected in quite some time, and no one has seen the collector for weeks. | | 11-12 | A well-known local has been seen stepping out with someone outside their usual circle, and there is the possibility that romance is on the cards. | | 13-14 | A strange beggar has been seen telling any who will speak with them, predictions about their future, and some have come true. | | 15-16 | A local official has been skimming from the settlement’s coffers. | | 17-18 | A grain shortage is imminent, the wisest in the settlement are filling their storage sheds before the price jumps. | | 19-20 | A local residence is haunted by a mischievous spirit. | | 21-22 | A local has been selling orphans into slavery. | | 23-24 | A particular vegetable sold by a traveling merchant is claimed to bear superior nutritional value to all other vegetables. | | 25-26 | Someone in the settlement is running a secret underground fighting pit. | | 27-28 | Research has come to light that gnomes are actually another form of elf, simply lacking the trait responsible for typical elven height. | | 29-30 | A monstrous beast prowls outside the settlement at night, always slinking in the shadows. It’s said to have glowing red eyes and a taste for blood. | | 31-32 | Overuse of healing potions can cause addiction. After a certain point, the body begins to shut down unless imbibed frequently. | | 33-34 | Someone in the settlement hosts a secret high-stakes gambling table. | | 35-36 | A tavernkeep in the settlement is actually a famous ex-adventurer trying to keep a low profile. | | 37-38 | A local, who lives modestly, has recently inherited a vast fortune. | | 39-40 | A storm’s a-brewin’. | | 41-42 | A local blacksmith has been working on a new forging technique that would make the current methods obsolete. | | 43-44 | A local official has been taking bribes. | | 45-46 | There is a door in the settlement leading to a realm with thousands of other doors to other planes. The last person to go through it hasn’t been seen since. | | 47-48 | A local eatery has established an exclusive, secret location where only a select few are able to eat. It is by invitation only, and the offerings are of a quality surpassing the finest food and drink otherwise available in this corner of the world. | | 49-50 | Information has come to light that will tarnish the legacy of a well-loved, long-dead hero. | | 51-52 | A thief with a romantic streak has been stealing into the rooms of their targets in the dead of night. They take nothing, wake no one, and leave behind a love letter and flower. | | 53-54 | An expedition into dwarven ruins found evidence of a ritual predating living memory. Findings suggest dwarves used to be quite tall (which made cave-living difficult) and lacked facial hair. Elves were short (and possessed long, luxurious beards). It seems the dwarves performed a ritual to steal the elves’ shortness. It worked, and they took the beards too. | | 55-56 | A local tavern, that has just raised its prices, has been watering down their beverages to stretch their supply. | | 57-58 | A member of the local leadership is romantically involved with someone of criminal repute. | | 59-60 | A member of the local leadership is involved in private dealings with an outside entity. | | 61-62 | A tax collector has been charging more than necessary, and has engaged the services of ruffians to ‘encourage’ those who are uncooperative. | | 63-64 | An abandoned building in the settlement’s worst area is the home to strange creatures. | | 65-66 | The settlement has recently experienced a lot of bad weather, which is divine punishment for some wrongdoing. | | 67-68 | The settlement has experienced a stretch of unusually perfect weather, the result of a dark ritual that must soon be paid for. | | 69-70- | The settlement’s defenses have a fatal flaw. | | 71-72 | A recent disease outbreak was caused by magical meddling. | | 73-74 | Someone in the settlement is selling illicit goods or using objectionable materials. | | 75-76 | A well-known, well-liked local whom everyone thought was born and raised in the settlement may actually be of foreign stock. | | 77-78 | The settlement is considering ditching traditional gold and silver currency in favour of government- created promissory notes. | | 79-80 | A portion of taxes collected are being used for nefarious purposes. | | 81-82 | Someone in the settlement has opened a gateway to another plane and lacks the knowledge to close it. | | 83-84 | **(Village Only**) A new power is claiming rights of fealty over the village, at the culmination of a long conflict. | | 85-86 | **(Not Village)** A few of the guards have been charging traveling merchants more than usual for entrance into the settlement. | | 87-88 | **(City/Capital Only)** A local shop or service owner who is not part of a guild is stealing trade secrets from those who are. | | 89-90 | **(City/Capital Only)** A nearby nation or powerful entity has spies in the city. | | 91-92 | **(Capital Only)** A foreign power has spies in the capital. | | 93-94 | **(Capital Only)** Two noble families are feuding due to foolish decisions made by their children. | | 95-96 | **(Capital Only)** The leadership is just a puppet of another entity. | | 97-98 | **(Capital Only)** The person within the leadership with the most power may themselves be an agent of outside forces. | | 99-100 | **(Capital Only)** An underground rebellion is forming to overthrow the leadership, threatening the security of the entire region. |