| d20 | Urban Encounters | | --- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Alms for the Poor.** The party is asked for money by a beggar who is not actually in need. | | 2 | **Bait-and-Switch.** A person, posing as a victim or someone in need of help, asks the party for aid and lures them into a vulnerable position where a trap is sprung. | | 3 | **Boisterous Drunk.** A weaving drunk approaches and challenges someone in the party to a one-on-one duel (the drunk sets the terms). | | 4 | **Disturbance of the Peace.** A wide-eyed figure shouts at anyone who will listen (and a large number of people who will not) about their many, specific grievances against the ruling powers. | | 5 | **Distraction.** A charming stranger attempts to distract the party while a thief tries to steal their belongings. | | 6 | **Graffiti.** Someone has been painting inflammatory images or slogans on a victim’s home, place of business or in a public place. | | 7 | **Grifter.** An individual approaches the party and suggests they partake in a simple game (such as following a ball placed under one of three cups, which are then moved around) and proposes a wager. The game is rigged, either with specialized equipment, sleight of hand, or a well-placed distraction. | | 8 | **Hand it Over.** Thugs accost the party, demanding valuables be handed over. | | 9 | **Impersonating an Officer.** One or more persons approach the party claiming to be law enforcement, accusing them of breaking a law but confiding that they won’t take them in (if the price is right, naturally). More committed swindlers may even have a fake holding cell, or other elaborate equipment, to help sell the deception. | | 10 | **Mugging.** The party sees an individual or small group being threatened, beaten, and robbed. | | 11 | **Murder.** The party witnesses a murder take place, or happens upon a freshly slain victim. | | 12 | **Rare Opportunity.** Someone in the settlement is selling counterfeit items, while an accomplice, claiming to know the item’s true value, offers a large amount of money. The seller talks to the party privately, expressing doubts about the potential ‘buyer’ and offers them a better deal if they’d like to buy it now. | | 13 | **Robbery in Progress.** The party sees a thief or thieves exiting a building nearby with stolen goods in-hand. | | 14 | **Snake-Oil Salesman.** A merchant offers the party a great deal on what they claim is an exceptional item. At least, it would be a great deal if the item was genuine... | | 15 | **Sticky Fingers.** A thief attempts to reach their hand into the pocket or pack of a party member. If caught, the thief tries to run. | | 16 | **Stop, Thief!** The party witnesses a thief pickpocket someone, but no law enforcement is around to handle the situation. | | 17 | **Street Fight.** The party is embroiled in, or comes upon, a group of people in a violent altercation. | | 18 | **They Went Thataway!** The party hears a scream from nearby, and comes across a battered and groaning figure on the ground. A retreating form can be seen rounding a corner. | | 19 | **Thief in Need.** A pursued thief runs into the party, asking for help or protection, in return for a cut of their plunder. | | 20 | **Toss and Burn.** A lit torch is thrown into a nearby establishment, causing commotion and panic. |