20 Things: Mining Town
With haunted mines, lurking denizens of the underworld and scheming mine owners opportunities for adventure abound in mining towns
Use this list, to add pieces of interesting dressing to the mines in your campaign:
A pile of abandoned picks, some with their heads snapped off, lies by the road.
Weary miners wheel carts full of unprocessed ore long.
Shouts ring out, as dusty miners brawl in the road.
A shanty town of tents stretches across the field.
Coarse laughter, followed by a sharp crack and squeal of pain, rings through the air.
A rattle of die in a cup is followed by the losers’ groans and winner’s chuckles.
A taskmaster’s whip snaps in the air, and a man’s scream assaults the characters’ ears.
Prostitutes call in sultry voices from nearby doorways and alleys.
Constant hammering and clinking echoes from the direction of the mine.
Smithy bellows steam and hiss as the blacksmith toils to keep mining gear in working order.
A chapel bell tolls, calling reverent miners to worship.
A clanging food bell sends miners hurrying down the streets to get in line for a free hot meal.
A horse team pulling an old wagon kicks up dust as they clop down the street.
Soot-stained miners shuffle along the streets or lounge in dark corners, weariness etching their features.
A wealthy mine owner holds a handkerchief to his face as he eyes the grungy town conditions.
Injured miners stretched out on cots and mats moan and whimper as healers tend them.
Unmarked gravestones line the road leading to the town. A nearby open pit holds more bodies simply dumped on top of one another.
Several wagon and mule teams plod into sight.
An odd stench of sulphur fills the air, though the source is indiscernible.
Several dead horses, their coats patchy and mottled, lie ignored in the street.
Want More?
The material in this article appears in Urban Dressing: Mining Town by Josh Vogt which is available in 5e, Pathfinder 1, Pathfinder 2 and OSR editions.
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By Matt Morrow