INFESTATION

Something like an invasion (see below), an infestation in this context refers to the sudden arrival of a nonhumanoid threat. It might represent an abnormal number of rats pouring up from the sewers or the sudden appearance of a flock of gargoyles in the embassy district. An infestation frequently leads to combat, as the city guard or hired adventurers are dispatched to eliminate the problem. Before this occurs, however, the infestation causes panic, evacuations, and potentially the closing of shops as people refuse to leave their locked homes.