150 Benign Urban Encounters

by Chris Buono

Chris polled members of the GMMastery Yahoo group for benign urban encounter ideas and then added a few of his own to come up with this awesome list you might find useful for your own campaigns. Editor Isaac and I added a few more as well. Thanks Chris, Telas, and GMMastery contributors!

Try using this list a few different ways:

1. To help with impromptu descriptions.
2. An injection of scenery when designing city encounters and locations.
3. Encounter hooks. These items are perfect micro-situations on which to layer a larger conflict, clue, or circumstance. For example, pick an item from the list and use it as a distraction while the real encounter triggers. Your players will enjoy the one-two punch.
4. Inspiration. If you've got writer's block, these items are perfect for getting the ideas flowing.

The List of Benign Urban Encounters

1. Chamber pot emptied near/on
2. Cats chasing each other dart past
3. "Please watch this cart for me, just for a minute."
4. Birds of prey circling overhead
5. Urchin approaches for minor scam
6. Shadow passes across the ground
7. Smoke rises in distance (brush fire)
8. Feeling of deja vu
9. Insect swarm/nest on building
10. Howling/barking in the distance
11. Beggar asks for alms
12. Children pester party
13. Local teen wants to join party
14. Graffiti on building
15. Stumble onto amorous teens
16. Child looking for pet frog
17. Snake slithers away
18. Street vendor (food, drink, trinkets, etc.)
19. Rainbow in the distance
20. Group of bats rise in the distance
21. Drunken fist fight
22. Stumble on lover's quarrel
23. Religious pilgrims with vow of silence are jeered at
24. "Recognized" by a drunk
25. Overturned vegetable cart
26. Criminal held in public stock
27. Sudden sun shower
28. Wind kicks up
29. Street performer(s)
30. Religious fanatic
31. A discarded, tattered cloak
32. A rusty old weapon found in gutter
33. Dark storm cloud approaches
34. Large beetle buzzes around head
35. Kids playing game (hide 'n seek)
36. Criminal in custody is marched past
37. Mother looking for child
38. Sandstorm
39. Small dust whirlwind
40. A dead ox causes a gridlock
41. An overturned cart causes a gridlock
42. A few sun bleached papers blow by
43. Well-armed adventurers pass by
44. Roof tile falls, barely missing party
45. Approached by prostitute(s)
46. Smell of baking/cooking
47. Pimp ("you messin' with my woman?")
48. Wailing baby
49. One person chasing another
50. Stench of feces
51. Ray of light seems to surround one person
52. Unusually cool breeze
53. Rats are following you
54. You get a dull, throbbing headache
55. Injured bird lies helpless
56. Skunk smell
57. Eerily quiet
58. Customer angry with shopkeeper
59. Food fight occurring
60. Stung by a bee
61. Arid dust coats your mouth
62. Cop/guard walking a beat
63. Spoiled brat wants party item
64. Someone teleports away
65. Very friendly cat
66. Parent scolding child
67. Someone bumps pouch--nothing's missing
68. Find a copper piece
69. Parade in honor of minor saint, hero, etc.
70. Foreigners arguing in their own language
71. Allergic reaction to exotic spice/pollen
72. Discount holy water salesman
73. Witness a minor crime
74. Something scurries away (chipmunk)
75. Street preacher accosts you
76. Witness a major crime
77. Two religious processions meet head-on
78. City watch follows you for 2d4 blocks
79. Find a silver piece
80. Dogs chasing each other run by
81. Very active beehive nearby
82. Howling gust of wind
83. Approaching lightning storm
84. Crow squawks repeatedly at approach
85. Rubbery mass stuck to your boot (gum)
86. Step in crap - dog, dire rat, etc.
87. Someone stomps in nearby puddle--splash!
88. Street cleaner sweeps by
89. Unconscious stranger on side of road
90. Pair of small birds harass you
91. Feral cat is trailing the party
92. A case of mistaken identity
93. Cloud shaped as holy symbol
94. Shopping list for potions is found
95. Old ring is sticking out of the dirt
96. One person has an intense itch
97. Hawk takes mole/mouse near party
98. Find a gold piece
99. Loose chickens peck at the street
100. Passing child drops pottery, cries
101. Raven lands in path, stares, leaves
102. Injured mounted scout charges through the street
103. Noble is carried past in a sedan chair
104. Two hooded people whisper on street
105. Young consumer is watched closely
106. Singing floats out of nearby building
107. Circus wagon trundles past, animal calls
108. Weapon sharpener approaches party
109. Large flock of birds flies acrobatics, then darts away
110. Private guards flank a door
111. Distracted senior totters straight for party
112. Weary knight is mobbed by adoring children
113. Partial eclipse of the sun
114. Emaciated children tug at party sleeves
115. People cheer for the party
116. A strong, young, healthy beggar asks for coin
117. A politician on a box of soap during a speech makes eye contact with a PC
118. A cat is stuck in a tree and mewls at the PCs
119. An escaped pet rodent rolling around the street in its ball bumps up against a PC's leg
120. A religious leader and his incense burning retinue cuts across the PCs' path
121. A diseased old man resting in a chair asks for help standing up
122. A paint can spills from above and splashes PCs
123. Political activists on parade beckon the PCs to join
124. A dangerous fish in a tank bumps loudly against the glass
125. A bee stings a nearby child who blindly runs to a PC for soothing
126. A small bird egg drops out of a nest from above and land intact nearby
127. An elf walks by with living snakes wrapped around his shoulders
128. A visitor stops to ask for directions to an interesting place
129. A fish vendor bends over to vomit and people point and laugh
130. A sheet of music blows into a PC's face
131. A garbage bin rattles; inside is a tied sack of kittens
132. A depressed bard asks sing-song, rhetorical questions of the PCs
133. A dangerous-looking racoon has claimed an apple cart as his--merchant beseeches PCs
134. A known crime boss sits and reads while sweating shoe shine boy buffs and casts the PCs worried looks
135. A woman with too much fashion going on breaks her shoe and stumbles into a PC
136. A man gets down on one knee and proposes, drawing a crowd and knotting traffic
137. A beggar with his hand down a drain hole brings up a ring and immediately asks the PCs to buy it
138. Three performers in masks surround the PCs and do a ring dance around them
139. Clothing tossed out a window during a lovers' spat lands on a PC
140. A woman drops a basket of fruit--can the PCs dodge before squashing some?
141. A crazy man points at PC's equipment and lists its magical properties--and he's right!
142. A little boy confronts the PCs and shoots them with an imaginary crossbow
143. PCs pass an alleyway blocked by a new spider web
144. A fishmonger dumps a cart of rotten fish for scavengers to clean up
145. A young noble passes trailed by a pickpocket
146. A messenger collides with the PCs and numerous papers start blowing around
147. A body of an evil wizard tied to a stake, body still smoking
148. A chatty bard walks alongside the party
149. A chess match
150. A person passed out from too much drink, looted, with writing on forehead