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I'm prepping my notes to run my group through RRR very shortly. NPCs make games for me. Having personality and quirks on notable townsfolk has always been something I remember about games long after I can recall what I rolled to hit the BBEG in the epic fight. So, I have been looking to really bring the Kingmaker NPCs to life. Looking through the book it seems that Lily was intended to be fairly important as she is listed in the potential Kingdom Roles chart at the beginning of the chapter. Surprisingly, she seems incredibly unsubscribed (outside of the mention that shes a flirt).
So, like I'm sure most GMs have done, I've been fleshing her out as a character for the upcoming games. My goal was to make her memorable and, as I'm trying to build up the long term Kingdom ruling part of the game, make her a potential love interest/possible spouse for a PC. As such, I asked myself "what would make her more attractive to my players"? Knowing my players as quite the power gamers I knew exactly what would make her more appealing, Hit Dice. So I restated her up, gave her class levels that helped preserve the small description in the book, but also build her up a little more. Her levels are in Free Hand Fighter, looking to go into Duelist. I plan on running her a lot like Isabella for those of you who have played Dragon Age 2.
So my question to the masses is, what have you done to flesh out some of the more descriptiveless NPCs? What quirks and personality have you given them? What NPCs have you just straight made up? How have they gone over with your players? Just in general, talk about the notable citizens of your Kingdom.
I'm prepping my notes to run my group through RRR very shortly. NPCs make games for me. Having personality and quirks on notable townsfolk has always been something I remember about games long after I can recall what I rolled to hit the BBEG in the epic fight. So, I have been looking to really bring the Kingmaker NPCs to life. Looking through the book it seems that Lily was intended to be fairly important as she is listed in the potential Kingdom Roles chart at the beginning of the chapter. Surprisingly, she seems incredibly unsubscribed (outside of the mention that shes a flirt).
So, like I'm sure most GMs have done, I've been fleshing her out as a character for the upcoming games. My goal was to make her memorable and, as I'm trying to build up the long term Kingdom ruling part of the game, make her a potential love interest/possible spouse for a PC. As such, I asked myself "what would make her more attractive to my players"? Knowing my players as quite the power gamers I knew exactly what would make her more appealing, Hit Dice. So I restated her up, gave her class levels that helped preserve the small description in the book, but also build her up a little more. Her levels are in Free Hand Fighter, looking to go into Duelist. I plan on running her a lot like Isabella for those of you who have played Dragon Age 2.
So my question to the masses is, what have you done to flesh out some of the more descriptiveless NPCs? What quirks and personality have you given them? What NPCs have you just straight made up? How have they gone over with your players? Just in general, talk about the notable citizens of your Kingdom.
Boy, where do I even begin? My group is just coming to the end of VV, and there are so many important NPCs that I'm in the middle of creating a reference for myself and them, listing their names and a few identifying factors about each of them, just to help keep them all straight. Like you I love vibrant NPCs for the party to interact with. They can make the kingdom really come alive for them. My reference list is over three pages long now, and still growing. It includes not only named NPCs, but prominent citizens (business owners, unit commanders, mining and logging supervisors, etc.) in the kingdom, the whole cast of characters from Varnhold, and diplomats and bureaucrats from Mivon, Pitax and Brevoy.
Just a few of the more important:
-- Baron Maegar Varn - wooed Baroness Jaslene, and eventually cemented an alliance with the Barony of the Elk by marrying the Baroness' cousin.
-- Kesten Garess - hired on as Warden of the new kingdom. I play him as a taciturn military professional, somewhat mercenary. He is usually in charge while they are off adventuring.
-- Akiros (now known as Brother Jerome) - is trying to get his paladinhood back through an extended period of service and penitence at the Temple of the Elk under Jhod Kavken.
-- Svetlana - mayor of Olegtown, the newest of the PCs cities (Oleg didn't want the job). She is mother hen to the PCs, always baking them homemade pies and fussing over them when they visit. She has two children named after party members.
-- Tyg Tannersen - has continued to get himself in trouble after being rescued from the lizardmen. Idolizes the PCs and is destined to become an adventurer, if he lives that long.
-- Royce Taverner - owner of the Stag's Rest Inn and leader of the Barony's Advisory Council, prominent adviser to the Baroness on domestic issues. Gives them a good read on what the important folk and commners in the city are saying.
-- Ivana Medvyed - spinster aunt of the Baroness, installed as castellan and running the castle with an iron fist.
-- Eric "Shifty" Rosewood - former bandit and acquaintance of party rogue/spymaster. Now running a thieve's guild in the capital city of Venice with the tacit approval of the apymaster.
And finally:
-- Lily Teskerton - made a romantic play for the party paladin, who spurned her in favor of a nice solid farmgirl. Then went after the cleric of Cayden Cailean, who has had a casual relationship with her for more than two years. If he doesn't make an honest woman of her soon (unlikely), well you know the saying about women scorned. Grigori, who the party chased out of town over two years ago, has made tentative contact with her, seeking to involve her in his own plans for revenge.
Greetings, fellow travellers.
You gave me some nifty ideas, Brian - thanks!
My group hasn't progressed that far, but so far I have fleshed out:
Bokken - ever crazy (and mostly drunk), he is in fancies himself quite a lover and works up his courage to approach Svetlana
Svetlana - came as a mail order bride from Restov to Oleg; she is a rogue/expert in my game and took the opportunity to make a clear escape from town after having been caught in some minor thefts and a major burglary
Oleg - gruff and down-to-earth Oleg, loves Svetlana with all his heart and tries desparately to get back the wedding ring, he had ordered in Restov (the ring seems to avoid the PCs...), he now recognizes the PCs as honest defenders of his little haven with big plans
Kesten - as Brian described him
Jhod - high level druid with his own agenda for the Stolen Lands, we'll see how his relationship with the PCs develops; they started as allies with him saving their bacon at the temple, but is now becoming an adversary to the PCs' plans for turning the wilderness into farmlands, lumberyards and cities
Kressle - my favorite, escaped them twice and retourned to the SL - only to be heavily abused by the SL and his men and is now chained to a wall; she will repent her actions and appeal for mercy to the paladin,I have big plans with her, let's see if the paladin can sway the group...
Akiros - idea yoinked, Brian (although I have also created Rupert, former bandit and later squire to our paladin, who is now a cleric of Erastil, having joined Jhod at the temple)
Lily - set (and beefed) up trying to get the attention of the paladin - maybe in contest with Kressle
Ruyan.
I had Lily set up as a minor noble who was also an attention loving gold digger. She tried to romance her way into a ruling position, but the party would not have any of it.
Akiros had no desire to be a paladin, but he did have a desire to finally be on his own without his parent's influence. He was given a pardon for his crimes, and ended up being head of security for Q'barra(Brevoy).
I had Oleg as 15 to 20 years Svetlana's senior and he played the part of the grumpy old man.
The staglord's father was just crazy. He proved he could escape when he changed into a bird after he was captured, but chose to annoy the PC's by pecking on their helmets.
The staglord reformed over time(a couple of years). He was never a model citizen, but he was not a danger either.
The big dumb guy that was working for the staglord was used for physical labor. The party never did give him his toys back, even though he asked for them all the time.
I had Lily set up as a minor noble who was also an attention loving gold digger. She tried to romance her way into a ruling position, but the party would not have any of it.
Akiros had no desire to be a paladin, but he did have a desire to finally be on his own without his parent's influence. He was given a pardon for his crimes, and ended up being head of security for Q'barra(Brevoy).
I had Oleg as 15 to 20 years Svetlana's senior and he played the part of the grumpy old man.
The staglord's father was just crazy. He proved he could escape when he changed into a bird after he was captured, but chose to annoy the PC's by pecking on their helmets.
The staglord reformed over time(a couple of years). He was never a model citizen, but he was not a danger either.
The big dumb guy that was working for the staglord was used for physical labor. The party never did give him his toys back, even though he asked for them all the time.
Those toys are just begging to be infused with the big dumb guy's spirit when he shuffles off this mortal coil ...
I've glossed over a lot of the characters due to lack of interest from my players - The exceptions have been Oleg and Mikmek (the marshal and warden respectively) who're regularly contacted about all the terrible stuff that keeps happening in town.
I put this down to 2 things: Kingdom building, my group was not a fan and only put in basic effort (and despite hidden stats for buildings managed to construct a nation that 'cannot fail') and that seemed to suck up all of our "Visiting Town" energy. And I as GM didn't put in the effort to get them interested. I too, wanted to get back into the wilderness after number crunching.
Though of interest... Lily obviously has a thing for paladins. She's the paramour of the paladin in my game too. XD
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I personally think that NPCs make the campaign interesting and keeps our party from killing each other as it gives us other people to talk to. Here are some of our NPCs:
Oleg: around middle aged, moved to our capital and has become our treasurer, secretly wishes to return to his outpost, which is now our second city, Olegsburg.
Svetlana: slightly younger wife of Oleg, keeps him from taking on more than he can chew. Currently our councilor. Feels she is in over her head, but won't quit until a suitable replacement an be found. Together with Oleg she is probably the only person everyone trusts fully.
Jhod: priest of Erastil. desires to make amends with the church and be reinstated. Has accomplished this. Currently our High Priest.
Akiros: A fallen paladon from Taldor. While he no longer a paladin, he wishes to find a place for himself with a leader he can truly believe in. And he has found it as he is currently a body guard for our rulers. (He stays behind when our Baron goes adventuring to guard the Baroness, who is not a PC.
Lily: an ambitious woman from Brevoy who is looking to improve her station and has a very flirtateous personality
Chief Sootscale: Leader of the Sootscale tribe and loyal ally of PCs, will probably be in charge of silver mine.
These are the game NPCs that have survived to serve the kingdom. There are sooooo many DM NPCs as to take up too much rrom here.
Though of interest... Lily obviously has a thing for paladins. She's the paramour of the paladin in my game too. XD
Paladins can often embody "hard to get". For some, that's as irresistable as a bowl of beer for certain annoying stinging insects on the 4th of July...
Though of interest... Lily obviously has a thing for paladins. She's the paramour of the paladin in my game too. XDPaladins can often embody "hard to get". For some, that's as irresistable as a bowl of beer for certain annoying stinging insects on the 4th of July...
Particularly if they have taken a vow of chastity or are champions of "family values" like paladins of Erastil. That's just an irresistible challenge for a girl like Lily.
Mine is a paladin of Iomedae - let's see if Lily can replace her *evil grin*
I think my players' favorite NPC is one I added in to the first module - the leader of a bandit encounter in Bokken's hex, who were ransacking the potion maker's house. The bandits warned the PCs that they stood no chance against "Big El" because he was "a wizard!" In reality, he was a rogue 2/fighter 1 with the Minor Magic talent and a penchant for bragging in a thick, faux scottish accent. His silver hair and beard marked him as a man of middle age, though it's possible he's just dying it to look more impressive. And he's a huge ladies man, though he has never managed to score with the comely baroness.
His real name? Elminster of Shadowdale. I mean, if there IS a multiverse, there should be one in every world, right? He's currently the kingdom's spymaster, and everyone naturally assumes that any "scandal" roll involves him, just because. He's a riot to play, even if he is pretty one-trick in his comments. And I get to bust out my crappy accent.