The Gilded Market Square

• A2 × Swarm of Ravens (CR 1/4, 50 XP each)
• B2 × Swarm of Rats (CR 1/4, 50 XP each)

XP

200 of a 200 XP low budget

Party

4 characters of level 1

A crowd parts quickly around a cloaked figure, then closes again. The street smells of horse dung, wet stone and baking bread.

Setup. Two swarms of ravens and two swarms of rats are fleeing something worse, and the party is in the way.

Terrain

• Narrow alley: the alley is only 5 feet wide; only one Medium creature can fight abreast.
• Rooftops: jumping between buildings requires a DC 11 Strength (Athletics) check; a failure means a 20-foot fall.

Tactics. They fight to eat, not to die: each flees when below half its Hit Points.

Twist. One of the enemies begs to surrender and offers a map in exchange for its life.

Adjust on the fly

• Easier: Remove one swarm of ravens (−50 XP).
• Harder: Add one more swarm of ravens (250 XP total, moderate for this party).

Treasure. 50 gp and 150 sp.