Encounter Idea 28 – The Shopkeeper

When I first started of Dice and Dragons one of the things I did was start a series of posts with Encounter Ideas that you could use in your campaign and I thought it was high time that we revisit that idea with a new encounter – The Shopkeeper.

Most folks will know the shopkeeper as that kindly individual behind the counter of whatever store or inn the party happens to stop at so why not mix it up a bit by taking the shopkeeper out of the shop?

Some suggestions:

– The party meets the shopkeeper on the street as he’s running errands and gets very upset with the party for blocking his way, after all, “I’m very important here in town, you better watch your step!”
– At their favorite watering hole they over here the shopkeeper drowning himself in drink, wondering out loud what he’s going to do as he’s lost everything in a recent fire.
– The shopkeeper is still in his prime and is only running the shop as he married into the family and really wants to get back to an adventuring life – will the party let him tag along.
– The shopkeeper is not the owner of the establishment, she’s working off the debt of her family. When the party arrives with their latest treasure hoard asks if there’s anyway they can assist her.

Have you used a shopkeeper outside of their shop? If you have, how did the encounter go?

Be sure to check out these additional encounter ideas

May your dice roll well.