Inns By the Side Of The Road d100
Several other champions have died and
A. Something mundane about it…
B. Something interesting about it but…
C. How you'd find out that unusual thing
1, A. It's made of bluish stone…B. The owner has a knife
collection, including knives from all over the world, some
exotic, none magic.…C. Talk to the owner.…B. They sell a
medicinal tonic made from crystals which allows speech
with the dead.…C. Read the menu small print
2, A. Single story bunker design…B. Banking and storage
services offered, secure vault level underground,
guarded by heavy mercs…C. Signs advertise along road
for miles in each direction
3, A. An improvised pub that serves average food and ale.
…B. Theres a giant stone slab table with a map of the
world carved into it in the basement. …C. Several
tunnels lead into the undercity from here and were used
as an underground railroad by the first generation of
gods. PCs will most likely find this room through
tunnels leading here than from ideal gossip upstairs.
4, . A.Small collection of log cabins.…B. Halfing cook is a
famous royal chef on the lam.…C. Talk to the drunk at
the end of the bar.
5, A. Retrofitted wizard's tower now famous for BBQ…B.
Humble server is languages savant, able to translate
many ancient/extinct/arcane tongues…C. Only speaks
to the exceedingly polite
6, A. Many stray dogs live around the grounds.…B. A
voice sometimes echoes out of the well telling secrets.…
C. Show a sign of affiliation with [religion] to the
proprietor.
7, A. Family run: "I SAID ERTUS, PUT THE DAMN
DOGS OUTSIDE!".…B. Secret orc blood, hold
ceremonies to orcish pantheon on new moon. Mother a
Cleric-3 of Gruumsh.…C. Scary-ass masks, spears, etc if
they break into the family's rooms.
8, A. Run by monastic order under vow of temperance,
master brewers…B. Entire staff badass unarmed
fighters, roam area at night kicking evil's ass…C.
Assemble for pre-dawn martial arts training at nearby
temple
9, A. The stone building is round, with a shallow domed
ceiling. …B. Indecipherable words are carved into the
walls, telling the story of a forgotten hero fighting
demons. …C. The local druid knows the tale, but
demands a tithe.
10, A. The menu changes every moon and has clever
descriptions…B. Famous bards practice their new
material in private shows in the backroom.…C. Break
the cypher on the menu
11, A. The sign is on a chalkboard…B. The name can be
changed by the current reigning champ at daggers (like
darts)…. C. Ask the bartender. Note that the current
reigning champ is a washed up assassin and this is all
she has left.
reverted the title to her.
12, : A. The place has a very tall wrought iron fence
around it.…B. It has no windows, and the battered doors
are always barred shut after sunset. …C. If the party
tries to leave after dark.
13, . A.Pocked and teetering limestone…B. Someone is
using the holes in the back wall to pass messages, love
notes, meeting notes for the thieve's guild.…C. Going to
the outhouse at or noticing the papers
14, . A. Facade replica of famous dwarf city, interior
decoration: tasteless dwarf-kitsch …B. Proprietor has
tearful freak-out triggering crowd hostility if dwarf-
fixation questioned, criticized…C. Friendly, subtle
warning from elderly patron
15, . A. Filthy hovel of a cob-walled flop house, but
weirdly big.…B. Food is surprisingly good. Seriously, the
best food you've ever eaten.…C. Taste the food. Rumors
will not be believed otherwise.
16, A. There's a small stage in the main hall.…B. Locals
use this place as a church once every 5 days, from
sunrise until sunset. Expect terrible singing. (1 in 6
chance of arrival on that day.)…C. Stick around.
17, A. It has no windows or doors, just hanging leather
flaps.…B. When you first visit the inn you get super ill
the night after, and then you are immune to it.…C. A
retired waitress told me, but she was high.
18, A - made from mud and hay much like a qala. Large
living area with only a couple of rooms.
19, . A. Half buried into a hill…B. The hill grew around
the inn.…C. There's a plaque
20, : A. It's a single roomed hut and a stable where
patrons are allowed to sleep.…B. The owner is a
cannibal.…C. Players find out when owner nervously
offers to pay the group 10 gold for a body, any body.
21, A. It's a three-story building.…B. All the patrons are
women.…C. Look around.
22, A. During the war the inn was used to house
prisoners.…B. One of the prisoners hid himself inside
the walls and he still lives there in secret after decades.…
C. Often small items go missing and are later found
used.
23, A. Coaching Inn, built round a courtyard and
stables…B. Has illicit cockfights, dogfights and small
monster bouts as a novelty in the barn…C. Notice the
landlord keeps a lot of Dandy Dinmont dogs.
24, A. It's infested with vermin and staff is somewhat
retarded.…B. No one actually cares how much you pay
for anything as long as you pay something.…C. Look
how much regulars pay.
25, A. A gnomish inn. Partying hard all times of day and
night.…B. It's a perpetual wake for a fallen gnomish
adventurer. A doom will fall if the wake ends.…C. Elders
will relate the tale if the party joins in.
26, A. Bargemans stopover built on a bridge over the
canal.…B. Smugglers den, jobs available transporting
stuff, nobbling customs men, snuffing out squealers,
etc…C. Scruffy bargees playing mumblety peg for
pouches of nobleman's quality baccy, coded smoke rings
blown across room.
27, A. Place has no name or identifying features, only the
noise and lamps being on all night distinguish it from
the other houses on the street.…B. The most authentic
[ethnicity] food so far away from [place of origin].…C.
Place is famous with travelers and the homesick.
28, A. The outhouse is clogged.…B. The chess-like
gameboard inlaid in one of the table tops is partially
made with cockatrice bones.…C. The old guy in the
corner knows.
29, A. The inn is dilapidated and staff very pale and
malnourished.…B. The inn actually exists only during
the night. At dawn it just skips right into the next night.
…C. Wait till morning.
30, A. Very basic beer hall built into an arch under a
viaduct.…B. Spies use it as a dead letter drop.…C. Loose
bricks, crumbling mortar, might see some drunk leaning
on a wall idly fiddling with them.
31, A. It has windows that have dripped with age.…B. It
smells of incense and peppermints due to the owner's
peculiar taste in sweets.…C. Stay up all night and sneak
into the kitchen.…B. Each person isn't at all a person.
They're either automaton, or illusionary or phantasms.
…C. By trying to interact with them in any way.
32, A. Yurts and carts standing in a field, jocular nomads
offer strong spirits., play raucous music, sing the songs
of their people.…B. Fortune telling available.…C. Every
one of them claims to see omens and portents, will tell
you for silver.
33, A. Typical "public house" run by recently widowed
wife.…B. Husband will return as a ghoul in 1-6 days
hissing his wife's name, lashing out at drinkers and
punters.…C. Roll for initiative.
34, A. It's carved out of a single large moss covered
boulder.…B. The beer gives hallucinations due to the
moss they put in it.…C. Drink the beer.
35, A. The communal cheese is especially wormy.…B. The
owner's son or daughter is an amateur necromancer and
they've a mostly tame zombie in the cold cellar.…C. The
kid has kohl around their eyes. The trapdoor jiggles.
36, A. Former chateau, now run down.…B. Run by former
soldiers who were billeted on the genteel residents, still
has some nice plonk in the wine cellar.…C. Le Comte, a
drunk who will drink anywhere except his former home.
37, A. looks like an inn.…B. The owner hates halflings.…
C. No allowances are made for halflings, everything is
too tall.
38, A. Ancient stone structure unsound, no sensible
dwarf would enter…B. Cage in corner holds mangy, still-
vicious owlbear, various implements of abuse, what are
they feeding it?…C. Smell hits one in the face upon entry
39, a. Set deeper into the woods, reached via trail.…B.
Animal - headed or masked patrons after midnight.…C.
Stay up.
40, A. Bar in front gate house of a brewery.…B. Whole
operation run by Workers Cooperative, capitalist
brewing barons want it shut.…C. Subversive newspapers
sold over the bar, bars on windows to keep out bricks
slung by hired agitators
41, A. The inn doesn't have many patrons.…B. There is
some weird time stasis thing going on.…C. The candles
don't melt down over time.
42, A. Wood panels and dingy, crummy scrimshaw art.…
B. Innkeeper once crewed with an infamous pirate king.
His compatriots also innkeepers now.…C. He'll tell you.
It's like a restaurant chain.
43, A. Holds a colourful, whirling dance competition ($
entry, $$ winnings) at week's end.…B. Popular with fey
and avatars in disguise who bequeath quests to leveled
dancers.…C. Dance Dance Revolution! Players plan
routines, more points for more flourish at higher
difficulty. Fumble table for injuries. Placed winners
approached.
44, A. Highly polished light fixtures. Effervescent
speciality cocktails, taste like rosewater.…B. Owner is a
time traveller from the distant future. Gave up on going
back, resigned to inconveniences of medieval life.…C.
Have something from the future on your person. She'll
notice.
45, A. Low fieldstone building with a poorly thatched
roof. …B. The old well in back is half full of bones. …C.
Go fetch some water. …B. 2) Sailor has agreement
sending victims to Sirens in exchange for their
valuables, which are sold off at the local pawn shop.
46, A. The building is dome shaped.…B. There's a second
secret establishment in another dome, upside down and
underground beneath the first one. For high rollers
only.…C. You spot someone going through the hidden
door.
47, A. It's called The head in the barrel.…B. They have a
goblin head in a barrel of brandy.…C. They advertise
free drinks if you first order and drink the goblin head
brandy.
48, A. The Charmed Life. A pretty little cottage. Smoke
curls invitingly from the chimney. …B. Dark, empty, and
cold as death inside. …C. Cross the threshold.
49, A. Building is brand new. Opened yesterday.…B.
Previous tavern on this site burned down. One before
that exploded. One before that collapsed. Locals think
its cursed, owner doesn't seem to care.…C. Talk to any
patrons or staff.
50, A. Offers low-quality wine very cheap, sold by the
amphora…B. Caged lava child used as heat source in
kitchen. …C. Hear it complaining while the kitchen door
is open
51, A. Cheap food. Nice people. …B. A candle burned to a
nub in your room will cast the shadows of the last
murder committed on the road. …C. A vulgar poem
carved into the bar.
52, A. Inside appears old, built in even older
construction.…B. Basement infested with giant rats.
Staff kill them and use them as basis of popular roast rat
steak.…C. Check the menue.
53, A. Furnishings much repaired/replaced.…B. Host to
weekly scheduled bar fight, put on to entertain rich
voyeurs. …C. May be asked by owner to take part in
exchange for free drinks.
54, A. Serves only harsh spirits. No ale. …B. The door to
the cellar is heavy. The stairs to the cellar are slick and
hard. The innkeeper is fast, and stronger than she looks.
…C. Order and ale.
55, A. Pretty little country cottage.…B. The site of a
gruesome murder suicide.…C. Anyone drunk. It's local
legend. There's a crummy song even.
56, A. A coaching inn. Reroll- a cottage, shack, or large
home.…B. Below the floorboards: noblemens' skeletons,
crushed under the chairs of marauding giants, drinking
to their victory over the noblemen.…C. Everyone knows
the story, curses dwarves and giants alike.
57, A. The inn is built from black volcanic rock. …B. Hot
springs under the inn provide a constant supply of hot
water. …C. Overnight guests are offered the use of the
hot baths.
58, A. The inn is a river boat, either moored or
drydocked. …B. All of the servers have had their
tongues cut out. …C. Try to get one of the servers to
speak.
59, A. All the local patrons drink quietly and no music
plays. …B. The rooms have no windows. Doors are
securely locked at midnight with garlic and henbane
blooms hung over them. …C. Rent a room and hear
heavy locks latching at midnight.
60, A. Wind constantly moans softly throughout the inn.
…B. The inn was built on the site of an historic battle
where a local king was slain. …C. At dusk the innkeeper
bids patrons to toast the king.
61, A. Every wall is painted a different color. …B. An
elderly blind woman cooks all the meals without error
and helps serve when she has time. …C. Ask about the
blind woman serving food.
62, A. Only serves beer made from fermented
mushrooms. …B. Has a backroom where orcs (or
appropriate substitution) are chained up and forced to
dance nude for onlookers. …C. The characters are
asked if they have special entertainment interests.
63, A. One get the feeling that the food is not cooked
properly.…B. If checked one can find that around a
hundred people have gone missing at the inn or its
proximety.…C. The mad hobo outside likes to whisper it.
64, A. Each table has one chair clearly cosier than the
others.…B. The innkeeper whistles the same cheery
tune, which earworms PCs on a failed save.…C. At the
day's end, when your eyelids fall closed.
65, A. The squirrel stew is known for its thickness.…B. All
of the tables have one leg that was shortened by a
brownie the innkeeper insulted, causing them to
wobble. …C. Talk to the servant boy who cleans up the
spilled food and drink.
66, A. The inn is two stories high.…B. The third floor
vanished in an Aleister Crowley-style dark ritual and
now exists only between the first and second floor.…C. If
guests try to leave without paying due to chronic
nightmares the owner may blab.
67, A. People enter The Cork Owl, but you never see them
leave. …B. People leaving The Cork Owl cannot be
observed. …C. An invisible waif will probably try to take
your purse.
68, A. A thick walled squat fortress of a place, well
constructed of heavy black stone. The inn is also a
Dwarven Brew Pub.…B. The dwarves are terrible beer
snobs.…C. Just try to order a drink which isn't a fancy
craft beer.
69, A. Old, colorfully painted, now peeling.…B. Serves
visitors to a minor, now unpopular roadside miracle.
holy water spring. Tree of iron. Hill clangs like a bell.…
C. Its the first thing the tired innkeeper/bored staff asks.
70, .A. The old lady always insists in giving free dessert.…
B. This lady is the widow of an elf king and has several
letters from him.…C. Ask old elven courtiers about the
story of the kingdom.
71, A. Was a bell tower once.…B. The bell no longer rings.
…C. The owner has the clapper hanging from his belt as
a club.
72, A. Wattle and daub building.…B. Stools are
incredibly sturdy.…C. There is a bar fight every night
and the stools are the main weapon.
73, . A. Half hangs over a steep drop on tottering palings.
…B. Back rooms (over the drop) are "long sleep" rooms
and half price. The inn has collapsed several times
already.…C. A waiter sick of the innkeeper's advances
confides in you.
74, A. Luxurious and newly rennovated.…B.
Monosyllablic seal-man at the bar is a fence for exotic
and illicit goods.…C. Spend a night or more hanging out
with at least one eye's worth of attention on him.
75, A. Staffed by 4 moody teenagers.…B. Teenagers have
locked real inn workers in cellar and are pocketing the
money tonight.…C. Go anywhere a guest wouldn't
normally go, overhear nervous conspirators
76, A. Run by an extended family. …B. There is nothing in
the inn that is not for sale.…C. You will be asked to
make an offer on the chairs.
77, A. Large hole in wall blasted out by fleeing sorcerer…
B. Proprietor turned to stone, now kept in closet,
 regulars collect money for de-stonification, raised 42 gp
so far…C. Patrons wheel proprietor out and pass the hat
at midnight
78, A. Decoration highlight: glass barrel dispenses rings in
wax balls randomly…B. The owner operates a chain of
similar tavern/inns with a network of spies tracking
adventurers' quests through tracking rings.…C. Mounted,
haunted elven skull whispers this info at Table #9.
79, A. Built from rough pine logs and thatched in green
pine boughs.…B. Whole structure is actually a living
mesh of pine trees, formerly a wizard's abode.…C. Lazy
owners. No upkeep. Roof always green. Subtle-carved
sigils everywhere.
80, A. Roof patched with painted wagon siding.…B.
Proprietor a former caravan guard. She's seen the start
of many an adventure.…C. She's quick to tell you.
81, A. Situated near flat, muddy field, Y-shaped pole
structures at ends…B. Impending game of ultra-violent
rugby analog vs. rival roadside inn…C. Active recruiting
of able-bodied for innovative kamikaze strategy
82, A. Rudely carved devils adorn the lintels, bannisters,
doorknocker.…B. The innkeeper's genealogical
disposition to short, broad and ugly means they always
play Satan in the local morality plays.…C. Anyone. He
also tells a ghost story every night.
83, A. Shopworn stuffed cat, bumbling owner who's very
curious.…B. Cat comes alive if a stranger admits theft;
cat becomes a leopard if a stranger admits homicide.
Living, it's invisible.…C. Rowdy crowd? Stuff gets
knocked off shelves & people get mauled.
84, A. A meticulously looted ancient tomb complex of
black volcanic glass, where a few of the empty
sepulchers and crypts have been turned into a fine
roadside tavern.…B. The ancient gods and spirits are
very angry about this state of affairs, but far too weak to
do anything without a few blood-sacrifices.…C. Holy
workers, clerics, houngans and such can sense that the
whole place is spiritually uneasy.
85, A, Built from various shattered sailing vessels….B,
Innkeeper is former sailor, can sell information about
sunken treasures…C, Ask around at the inn.
86, A. Nice looking well kept place...B. - has hidden tunnel
in the cellar that leads to a hidden room in the back of a
warehouse.…C. - you will need criminal connections or to
stumble across/find the door (if in the cellar)
87, A. Rickety, wooden construction on a small hill called
"Gleaming Shell"....B. - Built on dragon turtle's back,
hibernates 3D20 years at a time. Innkeeper its half-
human daughter.…C. - At night psychically sensitive or
magically gifted share turtle's dreams (turtle enjoys this
very much, may provide oracular answers).
88, A. Typical Middle Eastern-ish caravanserai...B. - Is
located somewhere cold, and is run by an efreet exiled
here for some kind of court intrigue…C. - Strange,
flickering lights come from the proprietor's room - it's
always burning in there.
89, A. Reasonably nice digs, drinks are kind of expensive
though...B. - There's a fake wall near the exit to the
outhouse. Behind it is a secret fancy bar. In addition to
delicious custom cocktails, it tends to be frequented by
people in the know on criminal and adventurous matters.
…C. - Talk to someone in the local service business
90, A. Exceptionally large and well furnished coaching
inn....B. - Actually a spectral presence, though harmless
unless you happen to arrive on the one night a year it
was sacked.…C. - Always has the same patrons,
everything many years out of date.
91, A. Cottage of local widow, seats 8, space to sleep in
barn, plenty of beer....B. - The village drunkards
congregate here will be really angry if there aren't at
least five seats left for them - may burn the place down.
…C. - Travel in a group of four or more.
92, A. The "inn" is actually a clearing with some fire pits, lean-
tos, and a few barrels of ale. ...B.: Local fey will occasionally
wander in to drink and chat with mortals in poor disguises.
…C.: Mushrooms grow in a circle around the camp.
93, A. Nice place, richly furnished, clean and staff are
well dressed....B. - cult of a succubus worship out of this
place. Been made to look rich and classy so as to keep
away commoners and people of lower classes.…C. - find
the secret room / see the wealthy leave in droves / hear
about it though rumors or from a rival demon
94, A. Upper class, plebs can stay in the stables....B.: Two
bands of young idealist revolutionists with opposing
views often have secret meetings here, unaware of each
other.…C.: They'll stare at you if you look like you're
listening and speak in hushed excited voices.
95, A. A den of thieves and murderers and looks like it,
brawls are common....B.: Strangers are expected to stay
in their rooms the duration of their stay and leave as
soon as possible, otherwise there will be trouble.…C.:
The barkeep recommends you stay in your room.
96, A. Christian imagery covers the walls and there's a
crucifix in every room....B.: The staff and regulars are
very pious waldensians as are most villagers around the
inn.…C.: Speak about the christian faith with any of them.
97, A. A sign in front declares the inn is under the
protection of the Knights Templar....B.: It's completely
run by children (10 years old on average) after their
parents fell ill and died.…C.: Ask to see their parents.
98, A. Seems normal on outside, inside a slimy coated
room of flesh...B.: with happy patrons gnawing on
growths from walls and drinking fluids dripping from
orifices…C.: open your eyes unless you fear SAN loss
99, A. Sign is an old battle-scarred shield....B.) Bartender
can do amazing knife-juggling, only when drunk.…C.)
Order whisky, talk about the war. Bartender will join you.
100, A) five storeys high, narrow and long…B) top floor of
the inn serves as an aviary/inn for migrating birdfolk,
innkeeper is an aarakocra…C) ask anyone within 5
miles, wildly famous spot