Adding Some Color to the Tavern

2009 April 20
by Stupid Ranger

It’s a classic staple of D&D adventuring.  The Tavern.  Whether it’s just a stopping place for the night or a stepping stone in your quest to save (or destroy) the world, it’s one of the first places you look for once you get back to town.  The second, of course, being the merchant, ‘cuz saving the world doesn’t always pay well unless you sell your fallen opponents’ stuff.

The tavern is a great place for the roleplayers to interact with the other people in the environment; there’s always someone at the tavern willing to chat with a group of adventurers.  Sometimes, he’s very obviously giving you information to begin/continue your quest.  But sometimes, he’s just local color.
For those of you looking to interject a little bit of color to your taverns, whether they are home-brew breweries or established drinking establishments, Alric over at The RPG Athenaeum posted a great list of 100 subjects that might be overheard in a tavern.  This is a great list, and it’s a handy DM resource to keep the tavern environment light and entertaining, especially for your roleplayers.
If you’re looking for a new tavern-based ways to begin your adventure, Nicholas over at DungeonMastering.com shared a few ideas.  After all, the tavern is the best place to start a campaign.  There are some good ideas here that give you an alternative to the general “you’re sitting at the bar… introduce yourselves” kind of tavern-based start.
If you’re looking for more ideas, there are a couple of fun articles published in the Open Game Table that have some fun ideas to add flair to your tavern.
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