100Motivesforthecommoneronthestreet byAlric

ManyDungeons&Dragonsplayersmakeahabitofflaggingdownnon
playercharacter(NPC)townsfolkinurbansettingsandaskingthem
questions.WhileaDungeonMaster(DM)canusuallyfabricate
answersrelevanttothepreparedadventure,whentheplayerasksfor
moregenericorpersonalinformationfromanNPC,itbecomesabit
moredifficulttoimproviseanimmediate,believableanswer.

Insteadofgivingageneric,awkwardorinconsistentanswerand
ruiningaperfectlygoodroleplayingopportunitytheDMcanroll
percentiledice,(rolltwotensideddice,readingthefirstdieasthe
tensdigitandthesecondastheonesdigitthusarollof4,then3is
43arollof0,then6is6arollof8,then0is80andarollof0,then
0isreadas100)comparetheresulttoanumberfromthefollowing
Notallcommonersina
list,andpushaheadwiththegame.
DungeonMaster'sTown

Thislisthasbeenformattedasafree.pdfdownload,availableon needtobeasconfusedasthis

theFreeDownloadspage. fellowwhenquestionedby
heroes.(Thefigureis"The
Whileheorshemayormaynotbewillingtotelltheheroes,theNPC
VillageIdiot"byHasslefree
Miniatures,paintedby
1.Justvisitedthebarber/surgeonwherethebloodletting
SaxonAngelandposted
continuedalittletoolongandtheNPCisntsureifheorshe
oncoolminiornot.com.
feelsbetterorworseaftertreatment.
2.Needsdirectionstoalocaltempleorguildhall.
3.Lostapet,andisoutlookingforit.
4.Isgoingtothemagistratetocomplainaboutaneighborsnewroof,whichcastsashadowover
theNPCsentireradishgarden.
5.Wantseveryonetoknowhowproudheorsheisabouttheirchild,whojustjoinedthetown
guard.
6.Isgoingtoworkorhome,afterattendingthefuneralofacloserelative.
7.Hasbeenshoppingallmorningforanironortinpot,buthasntfoundtherightoneyet.
8.Isaparentofsixsmallchildren,andhassteppedoutintothestreetbecauseitisquieterthere
thanitisathome.
9.Iswalkingabouttown,dressedinhisorherfinestclothing,seekingamate.
10.Isinahurrytogethome.
11.Isntfeelingwell,andisseekingmedicalattention.
12.Foundaperfectappleatthegrocersshop,andistryingtofindasecludedplacetoeatthe
applewithouthavingtoshareit.
13.Isoutforawalk,tryingtocalmdownafteranargumentwithaloverorspouse.
14.Hasjustpurchasedanewoutfitatthetailor,andispretendingtogoonerrandssothateveryone
canseethenewclothes.
15.Isreturningfromaplaceofillrepute,andistryingnottodrawattentiontohisorherself.
16.Justhadaspiritualrevelationandisheadingtothetempletodiscussitwithacleric.
17.Isreturninghomeafterlosinghisorherjob.
18.Recentlytrippedandfellintothemud,andisembarrassedabouthisorhercurrentappearance.
19.Justateoneherringpietoomany,andwantstofindsomeplacetoliedown.
20.Isaconcernedcitizenwhothinksthattheheroesareengaginginsuspiciousactivity.Heorsheis
flusteredandembarrassedwhentheheroesbeginaskingthemquestions.
21.Overseesanorphanage,andapproachestheheroesforacharitabledonation.
22.Hasjustbeenreleasedfromjail.
23.Isoutshopping,andisinafinegoodhumor.
24.Hasacatchy,butveryannoying,songstuckinhisorherhead.
25.Istryingtolearntheelvenlanguage,andisseekingatutor.
26.Hasason/daughterthatlefthometobeanadventurer10yearsago,andhasntbeenseensince.
TheNPCdoesntparticularlylikeadventurersforthatreason.
27.Issearchingforablacksmith.
28.Hasdecidedtomakeacareeroutofteachingothersthefineartofgamecalling,andwantsto
recruittheheroesasstudents.Heiswillingtogivetheheroesafreelessoninturkeygobbling.
29.Islonely,andcantwaittosharehisorherlifestorywiththeheroes.
30.Isseekingemployment,buthasbeenunsuccessfulforweeks.
31.Hasjustbeenbetrothed,andisabsolutelythrilled.
32.Hasjustbeenbetrothed,andistryingtofigureoutawaytohavethemarriageannulledbefore
theceremonycanbegin.
33.Iscarryingadeadfishbacktothefishmonger,becausethefishwasntcleanedproperly.
34.Wasjustscoldedbyaspouse,parentorsuperioratwork,andisinnomoodtotalk.
35.Istryingtogetanintroductiontoalocalnoble.
36.Believesthatheorshewascheatedbyalocalmerchant,andisbringingasetofcalculations
etchedintoawaxtablettothemerchanttosettlethematter.
37.Islookingforsmoothrockstoaddtohisorhercollection.
38.Suspectsthathisorherloverorspouseisbeingunfaithful,andissecretlyfollowingthem.
39.Isreturninghomefromthemarket,withspicestoservewithtonightssupper.
40.Doesntlikeasilverbraceletheorshejustbought,andwantstosellittoahero.
41.Isdrunk,andistryingtofindhisorherhomeontheStreetofOaks.ThereisnoStreetofOaksin
thistown.
42.Isapoet,whowantstosharehis/hermostrecentwork:ThereoncewasawizardnamedFrick/
Whocouldneverperformanewtrick/Soallweresurprised/Whenhesquintedhiseyes/And
lightningshotoutofhisnose.
43.Justwantstobeleftalone.
44.Hasanuglydaughterwhoisalmostpastmarryingage,andthinksamaleherowouldbeanideal
husbandforher.
45.Isdesperatelysearchingforaprivvy,toanswernaturescall.
46.Justboughtanewpairofboots,andcantdecideiftheyarecomfortabletowalkinornot.
47.Hasanuncomfortableitch,butistooembarrassedtoaskaclericaboutit.
48.Wantstocourtamemberoftheoppositesex,andisdaydreamingaboutwaystolegallyeliminate
arivalsuitor.
49.Islookingforagoodinnortavernforhisorhernextmeal.
50.Hasatoothache,andisgoingtoseeaclericabouttheproblem.
51.Isexpectingadeliveryofanewtablefromacarpentertoday,andisgoinghometoacceptthe
delivery.
52.Rollagainonthistable.TheresultiswhattheNPCispretendingtodowhiletryingtocarrya
smallpouchofgemsinconspicuouslyaDC25perceptioncheckisrequiredtonoticethepouch.
53.Isntfromthistown,andisheadingtowardtheinnwheretheheroesarestaying.TheNPCheard
thatthewineattheinnwasexceptional.
54.Isgoingtotheconstabulary(orsimilarlawenforcementoffice)toreportthetheftofjewelryfrom
hisorherhome.
55.Thinksthatadventuringistheleasthonorableprofessionthereis,andreactsincompletedisgust
whentheheroesbeginaskingquestions.
56.Isreturningakitchenutensiltoafriend.
57.Believesthattheheroeswouldmakefineconvertstohisnewreligion,TheChurchofDivine
Light.Heorshebelievesthatallcurrentcampaignreligionsarefalse.
58.Islookingforthestemofhispipe,whichfelloutsomewherebetweentheNPCshomeanda
nearbytavern.
59.Isntacommoneratallinstead,heorsheisarogue,whowillattempttopickthepocketsof
unwaryheroes.
60.Iscarryingahandfulofbrokenlutestrings,andissearchingforashopwherereplacement
stringscanbefound.
61.Isanartistorwriterlookingforinspiration.
62.Ispracticingaveryoldprofession,andasksiftheheroesarewillingtopayforsome
companionship.
63.Justfoundagoldpiecesomeonedroppedintheroad,andisafraidthattheheroesarelookingfor
it.ThenervousNPCmayevenaccidentallysay,Ididntjustfindagoldpieceintheroad
64.Isinpossessionofseveralstolenitemsofjewelry(seeNo.49),anddiscreetlyaskstheheroesif
theywouldbeinterestedinbuyinganyoftheitems.
65.Isvisiblyshaken.TheNPCisafraidofsnakes,andiscertainthatheorshejustsawasnakeenter
anearbyalley.
66.HisorherspousesuspectsthatheorshehasalovertheNPCisgoingtoseethatlovernow,
andbelievesthattheheroesweresentbythespousetospyonhisorheractivities.
67.Istakingadulldaggerorknifetotheweaponsmithtobesharpened.
68.Justboughtanewhat,andisveryproudofit.
69.Reallyenjoyedaplayperformedlastnight,andisgoingtovisitoneoftheactorsoractressesto
offerpatronage.
70.Keepsarestaurant,andofferstogivetheheroesafreemealiftheywillsharetalesoftheir
adventureswithhispatronsthatevening.
71.Wasjustrejectedbytheobjectofhisorheraffections,andpresentlythinksthatallmembersof
thatpersonsgenderareevil.
72.Istakingacircuitousroutehome,inordertoavoidthepassingashoptowhichtheNPCowes
money.
73.Isbringingabouquetofflowerstoalovedone.
74.Wonderswhattheworldwouldbelikeiftherewasnocolorred.
75.Isgoingtotheprisontovisitarelative.
76.Searchesthestreetforhisorherson,sincethechilddidntanswerhisparentscalling.Andheis
inserioustroublewhenhisparentsfindhim.
77.Isacrookedgambler,whoistryingtoremaininconspicuouswhilefleeingthesiteofarecent
game.
78.Issureheorsheheardacrierstatethenameofalonglostrelative,andisdesperatelytryingto
catchupwiththecrierformoreinformation.
79.Iswalkingtoaneighborshouse,toasktheneighbortostopsingingapparently,theneighbors
attemptatmusicismakingtheNPCsdoghowl.
80.Isaclericindisguise,whoistryingtodetermineiftheheroesareagentsofanevilchurch.
81.Issecretlycarryingmessagesforthelocalthievesguild,andissuspiciousoftheheroes.
82.Isachildwhodevelopsakeencuriosityinitemscarriedbytheheroes.
83.Istravelingtotheconstabularytopayafine,inordertoavoidbeingplacedinthepillory.
84.Isintheprocessofnegotiatinganarrangedmarriageanddowry,andisbringingaportraitofhis
orhersontotheparentsofhisfuturewife.
85.Istakingawalktostretchhisorherlegs.
 86.Carriesafewsheetsofparchmentandacharcoalpencil,andisgoingtothevillagegreentodraw
treesandbirds.
87.Lostabuttonfromhisorherwaistcoatorgown,andissearchingthestreetforit.
88.Hopestobecomeanadventurersomeday,andbeginsaskingallsortsofquestionsaboutthe
adventurerslife.
89.Istryingtofindtherightofficialtobribetohavehisorhersonreleasedfromthemagistrates
custody.
90.Hasobviouslybeendrinkingforseveralhours,andwantstoknowwhichpubsandtavernsheor
shehasntvisitedyettoday.
91.IsworriedthatanormalspiderhastakenupresidenceinhisorherdoorwaytheNPCasksa
herotolendaweapon,sotheNPCcankilltheweebeastie.
92.Isabeggar,whoaskstheheroesforadonationofcoinorfood.
93.Justateamealatthehomeofhisorhermotherinlaw,andisheadingtothenearesttavernfora
tallaletowashdownherhorriblecooking.
94.Isanoldarmyveteran,whowantstosharehisgreatlyexaggeratedwarstorieswiththeheroes
overafewdrinks,whichhehopestheheroeswillbuy.
95.Seeksamagistrate,inordertoresolveadisputeaboutaneighborsfence.
96.Isreturningfromabakery,wherearrangementsweremadetoprovidebreadandcakeatthe
weddingfeastoftheNPCsdaughter.
97.SearchesthestreetforsuspiciouspersonstwofinecabbageswerestolenfromtheNPCsmarket
booth.
98.Hasfallenuponhardtimes,andistryingtosellagoldringthatbelongedtohisorher
grandfather.
99.Carriesabrokenwheelbarrowwheel,withtheintentofbringingittothewainwrighttomakea
replacement.
100.Isjealouslyexamininganeighborsflowerboxes,tryingtodiscreetlyseehowtheneighborgets
theflowerstobloomsofully.