The Dragons' Cloud

The Dragons' Cloud

RPG for a better world

NPCs Theory 

10 Background Checks for Worthy NPCs

Blake Ketchum 0 Comments
After a long day planning meals at the Inn, this hobbit relaxes in her garden.

Exceptional Non-Player-Characters (NPCs) enrich the game-world and help players slip into the mindset of their character. Whether it’s a bartender the adventurers cross paths with on the road or mentor that your character will be interacting with routinely, the game is a lot more fun when NPCs are rounded out.

Add a couple of these to your NPCS for some richer narrative and better play.

  1. Are they exceptional in any way. Aren’t we all?
  2. What’s on their mind?
  3. Where are they coming from and where are they going?
  4. What do they do when they are not working as a barkeeper/princess/arch-druid?
  5. What’s the state of their love life?
  6. What is their greatest joy? Sorrow?
  7. Who do they hate and who hates them?
  8. Current frame of mind? Are they in a hurry? Tired? Downright jolly?
  9. Some details about their personal upkeep. What are their shoes like. Are their cuffs crisp and clean or worn and dirty?
  10. Are they connected to other NPCs in the narrative? In many small communities, everyone knows everyone.

Case Study 1: Finn the Kuo-toa Smuggler

Finn is exceptional for a Kuo-toa for his charm and business sense. He’s managed to build a nice estate for himself through trade and smuggling out of his grotto, where he runs a casino and an inn. He projects a jovial confidence, loves a nip of brandy with his fruit and cheese plate, and takes great pleasure in offering hospitality.

Smugglers abound in costal RPG adventures; Finn’s charm and tastes in finery make him stand out from what we expect of Kuo-toa and smugglers alike.

Case Study 2: Starlette the Halfling Kitchen Manager

Starlette is more than a cook. She also has to plan the meals and deal with rowdy adventurers who fail to tip and drill her for the latest gossip. She’s on her feet all day, but she’s a bit of a dynamo. When she goes home, she fusses over her garden and sings songs about the plants and woodland creatures around her home. She is a virtual encyclopedia of information about medicinal botanicals- players willing to get to know her.

Leave a Reply