I've always had fun creating names and NPC's. One of my DM's could count on me on the fly to whip out names for the game.
This can be a good place to post names/ NPC ideas.
In Turtleback Ferry, my group sought the services of an alchemist. Although there wasn't an alchemist "shop," there was an old, almost blind, Dwarf woman that other people go to concerning apothecary, alchemical, and general herb advice and goes by the name "Stone Hoar." She's only 3' tall, so she's short for a Dwarf, but she'll spit out those Dwarven curses 'til Toilday if you tick her off.
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Jeb the Gravedigger (NG Rogue 1/cleric 3)
I switched out sandpoint's RaW gravedigger for Jeb, a middle aged retired adventurer. A seasoned but weary fighter of the undead, Jeb weilds a silver shovel with great skill, and carries about "reverse canaries"
(a dead mouse in a small cage. when the mouse twitches, there's some serious necromantic mojo about. If it comes back and starts gnawing through the bars, you're in big trouble). He's devoted his retirement to making damn sure that when Sandpoint's departed are put in the ground, they stay in the ground.
He's very firmly retired now, but he's certainly a font of aid to anyone who wants advice on fighting the legions of the evil dead. He has fairly robust stocks of undead poisons (Libris Mortis), anti-undead spell scrolls, and all the standard defenses for common undead threats (garlic/silver/wooden stakes for the fanged ones, cricket bats for the bitey ones, and fire for the bandaged ones).
A strange amalgam of the old guy from Pet Sematary, Ash, and the Shoveler from Mystery Men.
Grol “Halfthumb”
While hunting down raiding goblins, the party may encounter a grizzled and unkempt half-orc, his ragged buckskin clothing torn and filthy. This unfortunate fellow is Grol "Halfthumb" (N Half-Orc Ranger 2), the misanthropic uncle of Gorvi the Junker (Half-Orc head of Sandpoint’s trash men: See “Gorvi’s Shack” on page 64 of Burnt Offerings).
Grol makes his living as a trapper, but the local goblins make it hard for him. Stealing his traps and heaving the occasional javelin, they have made it nearly impossible for the trapper to make a living. Unfortunately, he can't catch the little pests: Grol's leg was badly mauled by a bear some years ago, so he doesn't move as quickly as he used to. He doesn't like to admit it, but his eyes aren't so good, so his archery isn't what it used to be, either.
Lurching through the rugged hill country near the Devil's Platter, Grol will gladly aid anyone who shares a drink with him. In addition to his familiarity with local geography, the trapper is a fountain of unsolicited advice.
The Trenchant Wit and Timeless Wisdom of Grol
Anyone that talks with Grol is likely to get an earful of his rural opinion and nauseating breath. Even more unpleasant, the half-orc enjoys chewing upon great plugs of some noxious weed, which inspires him to spit forth prodigious gobs of vile mucus.
• On Goblins: “Them be the dirtiest, sneakinest little creeps Ah e’er seen! Worse’n Magnimm’r Trash Rats! Every time I turn around they be mak’n off with me traps, or scaring the game wi’ their jabber!”
• On his nephew Gorvi: “Gutter Gorvi! He be a no-good loaf, lucky he found summat wi’ less sense than he ta give ‘im work! Kin o’ mine picking trash! I jes’ hope the slob drunkens to death afore he degrades the family furth!”
• On Chelaxians: “A scumsucking bunch o’ jackals, them Chelaxi! (Present company excluded, o' course)! They be lyin’, thievin’ backstabbers! (No insult intended, o' course!)”
• On the Weather: “Back when I was a whelp, we had good weather come harvest time, not like these days! Sorrowful, them poor sods tryin’ a farm!”
• On Friendship: “There ain’t none that be trusty! When I was a whelp, me best friend runnoff wi’ me gal. Taught me a lesson, he did!!”
• On Fights: “I don’t go look’n fer fights, but iff’n someone wants ta’ fight, I’m not runn’n! An iff’n they LOOK like they wanna fight, then Ah’m gonna fight, jess’n case!”
You all have inspired me to have some fun with Turtleback myself. Since there is a combat and other encounters there I think a map is in order. So here is Turtleback population 400 on the shore of the Stoval River.
http://www.creativeservicesdesign.com/pathfinder/turtleback.pdf
Now I just need to run the adventure for my table.
Rustle
Malankakaikai:
A merchant of otherworldly descent, Malankakaikai (N fire-genasi wizard 9) buys and sells magical items. He travels the width and breadth of Varisia searching for Thassilonian artifacts and other magical treasures, never staying in one place for too long. He carries his wares in a white lace handkerchief (portable hole), which he sticks into the front pocket of his flowing maroon velvet overcoat. Tan-Tan, his tamarin (think: monkey) is always perched on his shoulder.
Appearance: This individual’s red hair seems to flicker about on its own accord, creating the impression that he has flames for hair. When he is excited or upset, they begin to glow brighter. He has bronzed skin, which appears slightly metallic. His eyes are the color of topazes, which glow in darkness.
Personality: Gregarious and energetic, Mal – as he likes to be called – has a habit breaking out into booming laughter, while speaking. He is also prone to mood swings and will literally smolder over or flare up at whatever he perceives to be an insult.
Whenever he is dealing with customers, he will always begin by asking them what they would like and after finding a match in his meticulous mental inventory, would whip out his handkerchief, wave it around, and pull the item from out of the folds. When purchasing something, Tan-Tan reaches into the velvet pouch (a pouch of holding) around its neck and pulls out whatever sum his master needs.
To particularly valued customers, Mal gives out his business card – an ornate piece of black stationary with his name engraved in the center with burnished gold. He claims that if they hold out his card and say his full name three times in succession, he will, without fail arrive to do business with them.
