D&D 5E Lighthearted urban adventure ideas (4th-5th level)

[Blue]

Looking for some inspiration. We've had a number of pathos-heavy adventures recently and I've had a request from two of the players for some more lighthearted adventures next, which to me sounds like a good idea changing up the pacing. But I'm hitting into writer block. The party is 4th level, soon to be 5th, and will be entering a city they have never been in before. (However, a wandering storyteller / news bringer has traveled there before them and spread some stories of their earlier exploits.)

I usually homebrew everything, looking for lighthearted adventure ideas without descending into just silliness. More looking for ideas than an existing full adventure, though if you want to recommend something that isn't too expensive on DMsguild I'll pick it up to mine for ideas.

Ideas and suggestions?

EDIT: When making recommendations, light-hearted is an equal requirement to urban.

 

[iserith]

I wrote a one-shot called "6 to 8 Hours of Shopping" that I ran multiple times for pickup groups. Mostly I wanted to make fun of shopping in a game based on bold adventurers confronting deadly perils while actually making it engaging. The premise:

The caravel Adventure cuts through the still water of Far-Flung Bay, docking at storied Battendown Port - the last stop before voyaging to the Realm of Deadly Perils. On the eve of a great expedition to places heretofore known only to fable and song, pivotal acquisitions must be made.​

​

Just beyond the city gates sprawls the Wandering Market, a chaotic churn of buyers and sellers from all over the world come to trade in goods both familiar and exotic. It is a raucous, shifting place that delights the senses, promising opportunity and danger in equal measure.​

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Time is short, the coffers nearly empty, the future of the expedition unclear, unsafe, and uncertain. Preparation is the key to success and, to make ready the Adventure, there must be around 6 to 8 Hours of Shopping...​

So basically you're given a budget of local currency (gold pieces are not permitted) and a list of five items (randomly generated) which looks like this:

You have between 6 and 8 hours to get it done before the ship leaves. So you have to explore the market, fending off pickpockets and wandering merchants, to find the person who has the item (exploration). Once you find the merchant, there's an extended negotiation with this quirky individual (social interaction). When you have the item, then some sort of conflict ensues from another interested party or some other ne'er-do-well in the market (combat). Repeat for each item. If you get it done on time, then the expedition to the Realm of Deadly Perils goes off without a hitch. If you don't get it done in time, then the expedition hits a major snag somewhere along the way.

This takes about 4 hours to run and has been well-received. I've run it about half a dozen times and only 2 groups have succeeded. Hopefully it gives you some ideas.

 

[Krachek]

Xanathar section for downtime.
Roll dice, be ready to improvise.

 

[Blue]

Xanathar section for downtime.
Roll dice, be ready to improvise.

I have no problems filling up urban adventures. I am currently blocking on specifically lighthearted adventure ideas. I'm good at improvisation, but I do not want to trust that ad hoc situations will be light-hearted and a change of pace from the heavy, emotional adventures I've recently run them through. And with downtime rolls it's very possible that it would include only a subset of the party.

 

[practicalm]

Pick your favorite Noir film and insert the players in on it. List of film noir titles - Wikipedia
Maltese Falcon - the players get the McGuffin by mistake and have 3 or more sides trying to negotiate for it.
The Racket - The players are asked to guard someone who is testifying against an organized crime leader

There was also an adventure I remember from WotC where a baker made some kind of food based golem.
Something's Cooking.

Something's Cooking (3.5) - Wizards of the Coast | Dungeons & Dragons 3.x | Dungeon Masters Guild

Something's Cooking (3.5) - If you're looking for a light-hearted adventure, you've come to the right place. Can a wizard and her beloved chef live

www.dmsguild.com

I always liked having one of the party members become romantically entangled by someone who then frames them for some crime

Mistaken identity is always fun because some times the players might see a huge benefit to going with the flow until they hit the catch.

 

[toucanbuzz]

This got me through many an urban adventure back in the day... Worth a conversion.

 

[practicalm]

This got me through many an urban adventure back in the day... Worth a conversion.

View attachment 131817

ooh. That reminds me of the old All System Catalyst series All-System Catalyst Series
The Citybooks are full of plot hooks

 

[jgsugden]

Dragonheist Features a number of encounters and site quests that can be pilfered for another game. There are also a few DM's Guild Supplements to it with additional urban encounters.

 

[Quartz]

Take a look at the adventure 'Racing the Snake' in Dungeon.

 

[Blue]

Take a look at the adventure 'Racing the Snake' in Dungeon.

Is that light-hearted?