Wandering NPCs

[smcmike]

D&D has a long tradition of wandering monsters, free-floating combat challenges that aren't connected to any larger plot. These monsters might represent a resource-management problem in a wilderness adventure, but they are often just a bit of atmosphere - something to fill the time between A and B.

For you experienced DMs out there, do you ever do anything similar with social encounters? How often do PCs run into NPCs who present an immediate social challenge with little apparent connection to any long-term plot?

Examples:

As the party is walking down a road, they come across a large man who is viciously beating his mule.

When the party arrives in town, they notice a crowd surrounding a street preacher, who is proclaiming the death of the gods.

A pack of filthy children follows the party through town, loudly begging for pennies.

As the party eats their dinner, a young nobleman struts into the tavern with a couple of burly henchmen. He sneers at them and makes a snide remark.

The ale is noticeably watered down.

[Chugger]

Recently in my home campaign they ran into a group of impoverished traveling nuns who begged them for food or money to buy food - they were on a pilgrimage to a holy site. The nuns thanked them for their donations - one was particularly emotional and hugged them - she seemed to be crying.

Well, the party failed its pp check and no one asked for an insight or w/e check - and a "certain someone" made a deception check (secretly rolled) ... but a quarter mile down the road the party noticed things were missing - valuable things.

They ran back and found the nuns waiting under a tree for "Sister Dierdre" to finish her business in the nearby bushes. Dierdre apparently was the one who'd hugged them so tearfully while picking their pockets of valuables. The Moon Druid became a Dire Wolf, made a Survival roll, and tracked Sister Dierdre to a pile of dropped robes - and then to the thief himself as he desperately tried to run away into the brush. They caught him (he surrendered w/ 3 hp left), got their stuff back, and turned him into the nearest authorities.

The most annoying encounter they had - they had a NPC with personal problems that they really needed to keep an eye on all the time (he was worth keeping around, but they did have to remember to babysit him constantly) - well - they got distracted and later they found he'd gone into a nearby inn, where a beautiful woman had told him he should help her attack some nearby merchants because they were responsible for his current state of problems (a "suggestion" spell after she/he had read his mind - this caster was in a magic disguise too) - and they found their NPC surrounded by angry merchant guards. At least, in the middle of the attack, he'd realized "something was wrong" and had only delivered non-lethal blows - while the caster (disguised as a beautiful blonde) had used magic on the caravan leader and had long escaped with his sack of gold. Their NPC surrendered as the town authorities came up and there was a trial. One of the players sensibly asked if a Zone of Truth could be set up to determine if their NPC had been enchanted or not, and yes, that was possible - and a Pal was located to cast it - and the NPC was vindicated - and also the merchant was shown to have lied to the court that he also had been a victim of enchantment (the merchant wanted the party to pay him back his missing gold and damages) - so the NPC was freed and found not guilty while the merchant had to pay the court a fine.

I think between those two encounters they learned to be much more paranoi....er careful, yes _careful_ on the road. :D