RPG-a-Day #3 -- TAVERN

Thirteen years ago, a fire tore through the Lucky Vagabond tavern on the outskirts of Pale Rock village. Eight people died in the fire, half of them prostitutes and their customers in the back rooms. The prorietor was also killed in the fire, a childless loner of mysterious origins. After the dead had been reovered, and clean-up got underway, a ninth person died when part of the remaining structure collapsed and killed him. Another worker swore that he saw a translucent, shadowy figure pushing on wall before it collapsed.

That was the beginning of the many tales that involve hauntings at the Lucky Vagabond. The ruins of the tavern remain, blackended and now overgrown with weeds and creeper vines. Lately, the ghosts in the ruins have been more active than ever before--mysterious lights have been seen at night and a couple adventurers who went to investigate a few weeks ago have yet to be heard from.

Sounds like something for the player character party to look into? Then roll 1d8 and consult the following table to find the answer to the Mystery of the Lucky Vagabond! (Or just pick your fave and develop a location and adventure from there.)

Result     What's Going On?

1.             A tribe of mostly peaceful kobolds have moved into the 

                basement and tunnel system below the tavern. If left alone, 

                they will continue to be peaceful. They might even begin to 

                 rade with the villagers. They have been holding the missing 

                 adventurers captive, not sure what to do with them.

2-3.           A group of adventurers are searching for a treasure that the

                 deceased proprietor had hidden in the tunnels below. The two

                 missing adventurers are being held captive.

4.              As #2, except a powerful necromancer is looking for the treasure, 

                 and he's killed the adventurers and is now aided by 12 zombies.

5-6.          The ruins have become infested by will-o-wisps.

7.              The original blaze was caused by a tear in reality that opens a

                 portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire. That rift is starting to 

                 weaken again, but this time it will be far worse--the entire 

                 will be consumed by fire if the party doesn't find a way to

                 stop it. 

8.              The ruins truly are haunted by the vengeful ghosts of two

                  prostitutes and the properitor. They appear to be made of fire.

                  The adventurers are dead, but have risen as charred skeletons.