Cities Are Dungeons in Disguise…
When we think about exploration in fantasy TTRPGs, we often picture torchlit corridors, forgotten tombs and wild frontiers filled with danger. But cities? They can be just as thrilling to explore. The danger simply shifts. Instead of traps and monsters, you get factions, politics and competing ambitions.
A good city session shouldn’t feel like a shopping montage between “real adventures.” It should feel alive. Shopkeepers with goals. Temples with secrets. Guilds pulling strings. Every street corner can carry opportunity, tension or unexpected alliances.
Strong campaigns rotate between three modes of play: Dungeon, Wilderness and Settlement. When one is missing, the game feels flat. And settlement play isn’t downtime bookkeeping. It’s exploration. It’s walking unknown streets, meeting quest givers, uncovering rivalries and discovering power structures that shape the world.
If you treat the city like a dungeon, everything clicks. Locations replace rooms. Agendas replace monsters. Social consequences replace hit points. The table below gives you 36 ready-to-use city locations, each built to make settlement play just as dynamic as delving ruins or crossing wild frontiers.
D66 DnD City locations
These locations are intentionally lean. Each entry gives you a name, a clear NPC, a personality hook and a short list of what the place offers. That’s it. And that’s enough.
They are gameable.
You might think you need elaborate maps, detailed floorplans and three pages of backstory for every shop. That’s a trap. There’s a point of no return in prep. Prep too little and you’ll freeze at the table, forced to invent everything under pressure. Prep too much and you’ll freeze anyway, buried under details you can’t hold in your head or communicate clearly.
This format hits the balance. It gives you anchors. You know who runs the place. You know what they’re like. You know what players can get there. From that, you can improvise answers, generate logical consequences and connect the location to factions and ongoing plots without drowning in your own notes.
| D66 | Location |
|---|---|
| 11 | The Sunken Court. Keeper: Vexa Rell, daring half-orc. Underground fights, betting rings, mercenary recruitment, and criminal ties. |
| 12 | The Silver Thread. Shopkeep: Maelis Thorne, ambitious human. Fine fabrics, custom garments, discreet courier services, and introductions to noble patrons. |
| 13 | The City Registry. Clerk: Anwen Pryce, humorless human. Property deeds, business licenses, citizenship papers, and bureaucratic leverage. |
| 14 | Moonpetal Apothecary. Shopkeep: Lirien Vale, soft-spoken elf. Potions, herbal remedies, poisons, and rare botanical ingredients. |
| 15 | Temple of the Open Hand. High Priest: Alric Venn, compassionate human. Healing rites, sanctuary, mediation, and charitable aid. |
| 16 | The Painted Mask. Shopkeep: Corvin Lusk, theatrical human. Costumes, disguises, stage props, and forged documents. |
| 21 | Harborhands Guildhall. Guildmaster: Petra Coil, sharp-eyed human. Dock labor contracts, smuggling rumors, and maritime connections. |
| 22 | The Gilded Griffin Outfitters. Shopkeep: Torren Hale, energetic half-elf. Adventuring gear, maps, climbing kits, and expedition advice. |
| 23 | The Mirror Hall. Caretaker: Sylene Frost, enigmatic elf. Scrying services, illusion performances, magical surveillance, and identity concealment. |
| 24 | Emberlight Armory. Shopkeep: Garrik Feld, blunt dwarf. Weapons and armor, custom fittings, battlefield salvage, and appraisal of rare metals. |
| 25 | The Old Dock Commons. Keeper: Marn Holloway, weathered human. Communal fishing, sailor gossip, odd catches, and informal trade. |
| 26 | The Silver Ledger. Banker: Marcelline Vorst, precise human. Vault storage, discreet loans, letters of credit, and private deal rooms. |
| 31 | Ash & Oak Bookshop. Shopkeep: Ysolda Fen, distracted gnome. Spellbooks, rare tomes, copying services, and research guidance. |
| 32 | Eastwatch Barracks. Captain: Rowan Dace, disciplined human. Guard recruitment, patrol assignments, bounty postings, and civic enforcement. |
| 33 | Starfall Jewels. Shopkeep: Mirela Sunsong, charming elf. Jewelry, gemstone appraisal, custom pieces, and quiet laundering of valuables. |
| 34 | Lantern Row Bathhouse. Proprietor: Sura Ithild, observant elf. Public baths, private soaks, restorative treatments, and access to patrons. |
| 35 | The Whispering Gallery. Curator: Ilmaris Vane, eccentric elf. Art exhibitions, coded messages in paintings, patron networking, and cultural influence. |
| 36 | Dawnsteel Blades. Shopkeep: Rurik Halvorn, proud dwarf. Blades, sharpening services, weapon commissions, and dueling sponsorships. |
| 41 | Shrine of the Silver Flame. Keeper: Thalara Mooncrest, zealous elf. Blessings, exorcisms, holy relic lore, and militant volunteers. |
| 42 | The Brass Scale. Appraiser: Kelwin Dross, meticulous gnome. Item appraisal, authenticity checks, auction brokering, and treasure valuation. |
| 43 | The Broken Hourglass. Proprietor: Tavren Kull, brooding human. Timepieces, arcane curiosities, and contracts with strange clauses. |
| 44 | Ironroot Provisions. Shopkeep: Hesta Burl, practical halfling. Trail rations, bulk supplies, storage space, and caravan contracts. |
| 45 | Northgate Stables. Stablemaster: Edrin Holt, patient human. Horse boarding, messenger routes, discreet transport, and caravan work. |
| 46 | The Veiled Parlor. Host: Madam Serise, calculating tiefling. Exclusive gatherings, secret meetings, blackmail material, and elite introductions. |
| 51 | Hall of a Thousand Ancestors. Curator: Brottor Graniteborn, solemn dwarf. Ancestral rites, lineage records, oath-swearing ceremonies, and clan arbitration. |
| 52 | The Copper Cup. Shopkeep: Brannik Stone, jovial human. Exotic teas and coffees, private tastings, merchant gossip, and trade contacts. |
| 53 | Riverlight Ferry Office. Coordinator: Jessa Vale, brisk half-elf. River transport, cargo handling, route permits, and river condition reports. |
| 54 | The Tinker’s Rest. Mechanic: Oskar Flint, inventive dwarf. Clockwork repairs, gadget commissions, trap building, and mechanical insights. |
| 55 | Market Ward Tribunal. Magistrate: Helene Vor, stern human. Dispute hearings, fines, legal arbitration, and public judgments. |
| 56 | Blackwake Curios. Shopkeep: Selda Marr, secretive tiefling. Odd relics, minor enchanted trinkets, rumor leads, and artifact identification. |
| 61 | The Royal Botanical Gardens. Head Gardener: Elowen Briar, serene elf. Rare plants, guided tours, alchemical ingredients, and hidden meeting spots. |
| 62 | The Iron Quill. Scrivener: Dorian Blackfen, intense tiefling. Contracts, coded letters, translations, and legal counsel. |
| 63 | The Velvet Ribbon. Shopkeep: Nalia Duskryn, poised drow. Luxury goods, perfumes, fine accessories, and elite social invitations. |
| 64 | The Old Bell Foundry. Master: Durnic Vale, stubborn dwarf. Large metalworks, custom castings, industrial contacts, and secret workshop space. |
| 65 | The Bellmaker’s Square. Artisan: Tomas Graye, nostalgic human. Public gatherings, town notices, commissioned bells, and community ceremonies. |
| 66 | Stonebridge Watch Post. Lieutenant: Garran Voss, pragmatic dwarf. Patrol coordination, wanted lists, and emergency response. |
Making the City Feel Alive
The trick isn’t to use all of these at once. Pick a few. Give them relationships. Maybe the banker funds the armory. Maybe the temple disapproves of the fighting pit. Maybe the botanical gardens hide ingredients the apothecary desperately needs.
Urban play shines when locations have agendas. Let factions pull on these places. Let consequences ripple. A burned-down shop, a disgraced magistrate or a missing priest can drive sessions just as effectively as a dragon in a cave.
Closing Thoughts
Cities are not downtime. They are pressure cookers. They are opportunity hubs. They are faction playgrounds. If you prep them with intention, they will run themselves.
Don’t prep solutions. Prep tensions. Prep ambitions. Then let your players move through the streets and see what catches fire.
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