How to Create Likable NPCs

So often in tabletop games, it's important for the players to feel a particular way about an NPC. Perhaps you need them to unconditionally trust someone in order to progress a story or set up a double-cross; it could be that you need to introduce a new storyline but don't know how--if the players were to follow a new friend, there could be new stories; or maybe you just feel like your players need to have someone around who they actually like and isn't a questgiver. All of these are valid reasons for wanting to add someone that the players like. But how do you actually go about doing that?

There are so many ways to do this that I could never address them all. So instead, I'll describe the three tools I use and have had the most success with. But remember--if you conceive of a character idea and think your players would like them, trust your instincts. It's also worth noting that making a character virtuous and kind and patient will usually score points over time, but it's not a guaranteed quick route to beloved status. Below are the shortcuts. 

The First Approach: Comedy

The easiest way to get players to fall for a character--especially quickly--is to make them funny. In Listen Check, a D&D podcast I made back in 2010, I began the entire adventure with a character I'd named Caspian. I wanted Caspian to start as comic relief and become dear to the characters, and I'll admit that I planned on toying with his life to move my players. So I made Caspian as funny as I could. If someone had something to say, Caspian had a clever retort. I'm not the kind of person who makes a load of jokes, but I stepped into that mindset with Caspian. More than anything, I embraced being silly. So much of what makes the humor around tabletop games what it is is the silliness that people create when trying to solve abstract imaginary problems. So I would just say silly things as they occurred to me, and pretty soon, Caspian was beloved. So beloved, in fact, that I couldn't stand the thought of killing him off anymore. I had come to love him too, and so I used him to soften the blows of the more tragic turns in the late campaign. 

You might be thinking, "But I'm not funny." And there are a lot of ways to respond. Here are a few: 

• No one in the world has a good gauge of whether or not they're funny. It's something you can't know about yourself. Forget that nonsense.
• You're playing with your friends in most cases. Your friends are the people in the world who are likeliest to find your hilarious. Go with it. 
• You don't have to think of whole jokes by yourself. You're just going to be responding to your friends in the moment. Try something silly to surprise them--it won't be bad. 

The kind of silliness that I'm talking about it of course up to you. I have written different versions of this paragraph several times, trying to describe specific ways to come off as funny, and each version has been a spectacular failure. I would say that's in part a show of my lack of skill as a lone comedy writer, emphasis on the "lone" part. Nothing about a tabletop game is lone, though. Most folks have been silly with a close friend before. Think about that energy--that's what you want. Do the things you know as an expert on your friends that are going to surprise or amuse the most. 

One word of caution, though: don't push too hard on the comedy. Including an NPC as comic relief does not mean that the whole campaign becomes a comedy. I generally strove to get two or three laughs in a scene and then move on--spread the magic out so that it's not bingeing silly laughter and burning out on the character's bit. And remember that the NPC is a person, too. If something really horrible has happened to the party, even a comic relief character will not make a joke at the downcast party's expense. 

The Second Approach: Responding to Player Reactions

As you DM, you're constantly being given access to information about how your players feel about the gameworld and what and who is in it. When players are immediately repulsed by a villainous NPC or endeared to a sympathetic NPC, you are learning what they like and don't like. You can consider this with your DMing and learn a lot more with targeted actions. If you have noticed that your players have strong mixed feelings about an NPC and you want to figure out what traits cause that (without directly asking the players themselves, which is an option), you can run NPC trials. Next time they encounter a minor NPC, like during a shopping trip or when encountering a one-off questgiver, introduce that NPC with a heavy characterization as only one of the traits in question. Your players' responses to them will help you narrow down the traits they like so that you can construct an NPC around that. 

When I run tabletop games, I try to portray an array of NPCs who are thematically linked. The NPCs in Listen Check or in the mystery campaign were dramatically influenced not just by the setting, but also by what my players were going through. If you've read through the mystery campaign, you know that the people who Ais, Beor, and Montana ran into often described problems very similar to their own. This was very intentional. I was deliberately showing the players how others were responding to similar events, which in turn gave them actions and people to turn to or away from. I'm describing this player response approach as applied to another problem, but it still works the same way: by giving players the option to respond to something, telling us more about them. 

This is the approach to tabletop games that has yielded the greatest success for me over the years. It is not as quick a process as being funny, but if you know your players well (for more than a single campaign, for instance), this tool can be just as fast. My players for the mystery campaign were all returning players from the Eastweald campaign, which meant that I had a prior understanding of what my players liked and didn't like. During the Eastweald campaign, I learned how to give them what they wanted, and the mystery campaign allowed me to give it to them. The second campaign was a refinement in every way. My last word here is this: this approach will transform your whole style as a GM if you allow it to; it can certainly help with likable characters too. 

The Third Approach: Liking Them Yourself

As a content-generating GM, you're the ultimate judge of all you make. It's you who decided on your worldbuilding, your storylines, your characters--they exist the way they do because you said so. You probably had reasons for doing so. Why should this NPC be any different? You do want your players to like them, but it's got to start with you. So trust your gut. The things that you like about the NPC will be reasons for the players to feel strongly about them too. Just as I gave a pep talk about being funny above, you've got to trust that your players will share your passion. 

But perhaps your problem is not knowing exactly what you like. If you're like me, your approach as a GM is to serve my players--my work on worldbuilding is the product of a desire to present a meaningful and complete world to my players for their engagement. Since you've focused on your players, how acquainted are you with your own taste? It takes some reflection to find out, I recommend considering the characters from art--books, movies, games, television--who you enjoy. Ask yourself what they have in common. I personally find, for instance, that I gravitate towards confident female characters, depressed male characters, and characters who don't fit in well with society. And although I didn't consciously design them this way, every tabletop game character I have ever played has been one or more of these groups. So were I pressed, I would use a character in one of these overarching types as a likable character. However, I would of course tweak the character a bit for my players, making them less the complex dramatic portrait I'm striving for and more a malleable tool for the story. 

One other note about about liking your NPC--you should still treat them as another other character. Getting too attached to an NPC can cause problems. I've always thought that a good villain is one who you understand, or at least, one who you like trying to understand. But that's led me to some trouble before. I've had villains of entire campaigns become so dear to me that I actively disliked the idea of the finale--it would almost certainly mean their death. That's when I realized the dangerous ground I was treading: I was more or less placing my enjoyment of the game in opposition to my players, and that should never be the case. So be careful with this approach. 

List of Villain Ideas

Not every campaign has to have a villain, but most do. And those that do need a compelling villain--their actions are what drives the story, after all. Thanks to thousands of years of human storytelling, we've seen just about every villain that might exist, in fiction at least. Coming up with an interesting hook for your villain is a key part of planning for your campaign. So I've created a list of 15 Big Bad Evil Gals/Guys (BBEGs) that can add an interesting dimension to your game. 

The list below is partially composed of BBEGs I have run in the past, but is composed mostly of new ideas specially created for this list. I'm including enough basic information to be able to extrapolate a campaign with; if you want resources on how to do that, look no further. But if like me, you prefer to do it yourself, here are some ideas to get you started. 

1. The Anarchist Royal: This member of the royal family of a burgeoning kingdom (I opted for princess) has learned about anarchy and grown to resent their family's power over their subjects. They have designed a way to destroy the kingdom from within. Their end goal is to destroy all possibility of the kingdom continuing and make efforts if possible to incite the people to rise up. I had my version of this BBEG commit to her ideals so much that she intended to die with the rest of her family to break the royal lineage. You might have this BBEG look to the party for help and not explain what their motives are, revealing their true intentions as a twist later in the campaign. The party will have to deal with investigation of conspiracies, diplomatic interactions, stealthy maneuvers, and a range of political questions about the storyline. 
2. The Artifact Collector: This studious BBEG may not even be evil in your campaign; the idea is simply that a specific person has uncovered information that that suggests a powerful artifact is hidden in some way. They have become so obsessed with the artifact that they will sacrifice anything to get it. Their end goal is to collect the artifact and be the first to use its power. In my version of this BBEG, the collection of the artifact was preceded by finding a series of related artifacts with clues that led from one to the next. Your players might race to collect the artifact before the BBEG can, or they may oppose them in some other way. The powers of the artifact may be why the BBEG is seeking it, or its powers may be a mystery and all they know is that it is highly powerful. The BBEG should be cunning and try to sabotage the player characters. The party will have to deal with discovering lore, tracking the BBEG, solving riddles, completing dungeons, and dealing with powerful magical forces. 
3. The Angry God: This god or demigod's agenda has been disrupted by the player characters. They are furious about this and want to punish the player characters for their meddling in divine plans. This BBEG's range of abilities makes them both formidable and interesting as an enemy, and discovering ways to get the upper hand on them will be a big part of dealing with this BBEG. Their end goal is to make their plan happen, and to rage against anything that gets in their way. In my version of the BBEG, I had an iteration of Gruumsh demand that the player characters help him and torture them when they didn't immediately do so; although I didn't initially intend this god character to be the overarching BBEG of the campaign, he was so persistently evil that my players loved to hate him. This BBEG should be intimidating and show off the lore about gods in your world. The party will have to deal with learning about the gods, dabbling with magic, protecting themselves from the divine, looking for allyship with other powerful beings, and using charismatic skills to deal with the BBEG. 
4. The Necromancer Commander: This powerful necromancer has developed a spell which changes the stakes of violence in-game--they have cursed the player characters, and any living humanoid they kill will be instantly raised as an undead warrior. Now the players cannot freely kill anyone or face the necromancer's wrath. They have designs to cast this spell on other powerful people in the world in order to build an army. They may even be working on an amplifying spell that would make the effect target all people. Their end goal is to conquer as much of the world as possible using their undead army. I suggest making the undead warriors that rise from killed people significantly more powerful than the person who died: the undead should have roughly 1.5x the killed person's abilities, but you could go as high as 2x if you wanted a more difficult and tense game. The party will have to deal with tense combat, strategic decisions about tactics, learning how to counter the necromancer's spells, protecting NPCs, and gathering abilities to better combat the undead. 
5. The Veteran Who Hasn't Moved On: This ex-soldier once fought in a conflict that changed them. They lost the war, but that didn't mean the war ended for this BBEG. They're bent on going out and single-handedly winning it now. Inspired by my homebrew world's Magic War, this BBEG uses their skills as a soldier to wage guerilla warfare against those they perceive as enemies. Their agenda depends on what their war was fought over; in mine, the war was about whether magic should be free, regulated, or abolished (the free advocates won), and so in my world this BBEG would be an old abolishment soldier who's striking against prominent magic users in their community. Their end goal should be an escalating series of attacks that culminate in some important public figure, as part of their agenda is making a public statement. I suggest making this BBEG a stealthy one so that part of the story can be your players discovering their identity and tracking them. To that end, the party will deal with investigation, tracking, interviewing witnesses, learning about the conflict the BBEG served in, and tense surprise combat. 
6. The Beastmaster: This BBEG can come from a variety of backgrounds: Druid, Ranger, Wizard/Sorcerer/Warlock to being with, but anyone who has learned some magic will work. This BBEG has mastered the ability to control animals. They can turn mundane animals into frightening creatures and convince even familiars to join their cause. Their end goal is to command an army and give animals dominion over humanoids. This BBEG may be aggressive and attack settlements where animals are harness for work, or they may be quietly massing an army of creatures somewhere out in the wilderness. Fighting with the Beastmaster means also fighting an array of controlled animals. The party will have to deal with natural magic, an array of transforming enemies, the ethics of killing controlled animals, and fighting to keep their animal companions by their sides. 
7. The Knowledge Eraser: This BBEG may be deranged or simply bent on an extreme idea; in any case, they seek to destroy stores of knowledge all over the land. I suggest using a magic user for this BBEG, which would allow them to cast fire spells to destroy entire libraries. They strike first at local libraries, targeting unique texts, and work their way up to the greatest stores of knowledge in the world. Their end goal is to free humanity from its undue reverence for history by destroying any trace of it. They might also focus on magical texts as an effort to reduce the potential of spellcasters. The party may be enlisted by civic authorities to investigate the destructions of texts, or they may encounter the BBEG themselves while dealing with texts. The party will deal with the various lore of your world, discussions of the value of historical records, investigating an elusive person, speaking with experts about the lost information, and learning about the different cultures in your world. 
8. The Mad Scientist: This inventor character can be whatever interpretation of a mad scientist you prefer, but here's my version. This BBEG has spent their life tinkering with gadgets and gizmos and has had a revelation: their inventions could change the world. But their attempts to promote their inventions haven't worked, and now they intend to convince the world of their genius by force. Their end goal is to punish those who underestimated them, attain renown, and implement their inventions in society. The exact nature of this BBEG's inventions is up for grabs. I opt for someone who specializes in mechanical clockwork devices, who has a collection of intimidating homunculi to use in combat. These handy devices can hold the party off while the BBEG escapes for another encounter pretty easily. You can also justify pretty much any invention you like to push the story along by using fantasy logic. The party will deal with interesting combats, a variety of strange ideas, gauging the public awareness, questions about the validity of the BBEG's inventions, and lots of appearances from the BBEG's homunculi. 
9. The Corrupt Official: This character holds a position in government and appears to be an upstanding member of the law. But secretly, they are corrupt to the core. They siphon official funds, they pull strings to get favors, they control people through their rank--and it's damaging the settlement they govern. Discovering the source of the corruption could be the core of the campaign, but you could also choose an openly corrupt official who's hard to get to for your BBEG. You can choose a smaller town if the atmosphere of fewer people being more directly impacted works better for your story, or a larger city if you want to really focus on the mystery of the corruption. Their end goal might simply be to amass wealth and power, or they may have a more concentrated agenda like obtaining a higher post or running competitors out of town or business. This is a more storytelling/roleplaying campaign, but you could add some combat by having the BBEG hire mercenaries to fight the party. The party will deal with political intrigue, investigating the government, the experiences of the common people in town, questions about what to do to fix the government, and lots of opportunity to portray a truly slimy BBEG. 
10. The Reclaimer: This character began as a very normal person, but they suffered a great loss and prayed for help. They received a blessing from their god and became instantly powerful, and their god tasked them with reclaiming a lost temple. That temple now lies at the heart of a thriving city that now uses the temple to worship a different god. Their end goal is to destroy the heathens who profaned the temple and reestablish the worship of their god. This BBEG has a very different flavor depending on which god you choose for them: an evil god means fighting against hatred and injustice; a good god means that the repurposed temple in the city has been diminished (but if the party is evil, it would function as normal); a neutral god makes the whole question of reclaiming the temple much more of a debate. As with others on this list, this BBEG may begin as an ally or questgiver, only to reveal the truth of their mission only after the party has cooperated. The party will deal with questions of morality, navigation of both dangerous and highly populated areas, learning lore of the gods in your world, fighting a variety of divine creatures, and negotiation with the gods. 
11. The Ultimate Planner: This character can come from any background, but they are remarkable for their intelligence, foresight, and practicality. Whatever happens, they have already foreseen it and prepared accordingly--they are never taken off guard. In terms of actual presence in the game, the players should always be able to approach this BBEG, but will always be foiled by a last-minute action that required planning in advance. Your players storm in and cut off all the exits? This BBEG has installed a trapdoor that leads to a tunnel and their escape. You'll keep your BBEG one step ahead of the players until the finale, when they critically miscalculate and the players triumph. Their end goal can be flexible, but by way of example that honors the planning skills of the BBEG, let's say that they want to use their judgment to maximize everyone else's life, effectively dictating their actions and erasing free will, which the BBEG doesn't see as a problem because efficiency is more important. The party will deal with trying to get a step ahead, anticipating the BBEG's actions, questions about free will, lots of planning of their own, and plenty of surprises from the BBEG's plans. 
12. The Mistaken Medium: This character has made a living from their magical ability to discern things that cannot be seen. They often read fortunes and foretell their clients' challenges. They have seen a striking vision of a world that terrifies them: they believe an important public figure (perhaps the leader of a settlement) will cause the apocalypse with a future decision. They become bent on stopping this from happening, and at any cost. Their end goal is to prevent the world ending by assassinating this figure. The party might catch onto this BBEG's actions when the BBEG kills someone close to the leader in an effort to derail them; investigating the murder leads to the BBEG's trail. This BBEG might be able to predict the party's coming for them or may use their gifts to intimidate the party. They may also share their visions in order to convince the party they are helping. The party will deal with omens of the apocalypse, protecting a public figure, investigating the BBEG's trail, questions of fate, and whether the party believes the BBEG. 
13. The Urban Terrorist: This character lives in a big city and has been run down by city life. Think of the main characters from movies like Taxi Driver and Falling Down, people who have gone rotten and lash out violently. This BBEG is filled with hatred and they take it out on the signs of decay around them. Their actions may still be percolating by getting into bar fights intending to kill someone, and they may have moved onto more devious actions like poisoning the water supply or burning down buildings with people inside. Their end goal is murky even to themselves--they only know that they will feel even worse if they don't destroy something or someone. The biggest struggle in dealing with this BBEG is in finding them in the sprawling city and being able to tie them to their crimes. The party may be contacted by city officials looking for help or may chance upon the site of one one of the BBEG's attacks. The party will deal with doing dangerous work surrounded by bystanders, questions of morality, depictions of rough city life, tracking work, and grappling with meaningless violence.
14. The Specimen Collector: This depraved individual has ceased to consider themselves a part of humanity; in their minds, they are a god among humanoids. But their interest in the lower forms of life around them has driven them even madder. This BBEG is on a quest to catalog the differences between individual humanoids, and they do so by capturing people, experimenting on them, and preserving the body for a grand display of their work. Their end goal is to have incontrovertible evidence of their theories about anatomy and biology, and they crave the approval of a particular expert on genealogy. The party's time with this BBEG may begin when the first few people get abducted by the BBEG, or it may be when the expert on genealogy is contacted by the BBEG--their disgust at the BBEG's work inspires them to contact the party for help. The party will deal with disturbing scenes of experimentation, learning about the game's lore for the different races, questions of scientific ethics, anticipating the moves of a deranged person, and investigating disappearances and murders.
15. The Harbinger: This individual was raised in a highly religious household and came to fear their god. In my world, this would fit well with the Dalton Church of Pelor, a dark version of the sun god who requires sacrifices to rise each morning. This BBEG, after being raised in such a dark and disturbing worldview, has lost sight of reality. They believe that the animal sacrifices are no longer enough to satisfy the hungry sun, and they commit to sacrificing one humanoid each day. Their end goal is to preserve the earth by indefinitely sacrificing people. This makes this BBEG especially committed to their goal. Dealing with this BBEG means that the party will be investigating a string of disappearances or murders; you could also have the party see the BBEG kill someone and get away and have the party learn about the extent of the crimes as they investigate. This BBEG might have been killing people for only a day or two before someone catches on, but you might also decide he's been at it for a month before people in the busy city really notice. The party will deal with investigation of disappearances and murder, religious lore from your world, questions about belief, disturbing scenes of the sacrificial church, and the potential for involvement from the gods in your world. 

That's 15 different BBEG ideas. If an idea appeals to you, run with it. Feel free to change anything at all to better suit your world, your story, and your take on the BBEG. Remember that a compelling BBEG is one you can portray in an exciting way, so be sure to use ideas that you think you could perform well for your players. And of course if your players are interested in one of these ideas, it's hard to go wrong by giving them the villain they really want. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: a one-shot based on Alice in Wonderland, naming conventions in my homebrew setting, and the value of individual introduction sessions for a campaign. Until next time, happy gaming!

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The Wheel of Voices

It is a time-honored tradition in TRPGs to do character voices. Not every player or even every game includes them, but a classic trope of roleplaying games is the GM who has a different voice for every NPC. It's not necessary for the game, but it does help people get into the story and the roleplaying. But coming up with the voices is a creative process that can take time you don't have in the middle of a game. Might I recommend the following table of accents for your game? Simply roll a d100 and you have a specific voice quirk to embody with any NPC. 

Before I go further, let me preemptively respond to something that many GMs out there are likely to be thinking. "But I can't do good voices! My accents are terrible!" Not to worry, I promise. A bad accent is still more interesting than your normal talking voice. If you're worried about preserving a serious spirit that won't be broken up by a silly voice, use only the ones you're confident in for more serious characters and let that random barkeep have a silly voice. Trust me, your players will appreciate you making the effort to spice up the game--so go ahead and dive into the voices, and watch your players crack up in your gameworld. 

A note before delving into the table itself: I think that whether you are running a world with silly shenanigans or one with dead-serious reality, accents are important. Think about it from a world-building perspective. You have created a big old world with cities and people and cultures and all manner of details. Doesn't it make sense that there are different accents? Shouldn't a dwarf who was born and raised in the dwarven capital sound different when talking from a half-elf who grew up in a gnomish city but spent most of their life in the orcish capital? You can use accents to distinguish your NPCs with relatively little effort, and it will make your gameworld seem a much richer place. To do this, develop an accent for each race or major city (or both). You don't need to create an accent; simply selecting a regional accent you're pretty confident in (or not, depending on your style) will be good enough to represent your world. 

So now the actual table! I have selected various speech quirks, including regional accents, voice descriptors, speech quirks, and a few celebrity impressions. I recommend swapping these impressions out with ones you're comfortable with. The goal, though, is to be distinctive. And of course you can always just pick a descriptor or fudge your roll if it comes up in a way that complicates your plans. But for an average NPC, any voice will do. So grab a d100 and see what your NPC sounds like. 

1-3. Underhar (dwarven capital) accent: Scottish

4-6. Mishara (elven capital) accent: French

7-9. Curagon (halfling capital) accent: English

10-12. Vestry (gnomish capital) accent: Irish

13-15. New Dalton (one human bloodline's capital): New Yorker

16-18. Grob (orcish capital) accent: Eastern European

19-21. Faninite (other human bloodline) accent: American Midwest

22-24. Torga (dwarven, orcish, and human city) accent: Bostonian

25-27. Talon Gorge (human, gnomish, and elven city) accent: Austrailian

28-30. Ringsdale (human, orcish, and gnomish city) accent: German

31-33. Finiel (elven and halfling city) accent: Russian

34-36. Faking an accent (roll a d12 and select from the above 11 accents to fake; a 12 means roll again)

37. Nasal

38. Breathy

39. About to cry

40. Croaking

41. Monotone

42. Gravelly

43. Guttural

44. High-pitched

45. Low-pitched

46. Hoarse

47. Husky

48. Quiet

49. Shrill

50. Singsong

51. Soft

52. Tense

53. Unsteady

54. Childish

55. Falsetto

56. Very deep

57. Airy

58. Barking

59. Drawling

60. Squeaky

61. Joyful

62. Booming

63. Old West accent

64. Nicolas Cage (or your preferred impression)

65. Gilbert Gottfried (or your preferred impression)

66. Sean Connery (or your preferred impression)

67. George Bush (or your preferred impression)

68. John Oliver (or your preferred impression)

69. Mark Wahlberg (or your preferred impression)

70. Jeff Goldblum (or your preferred impression)

71. Owen Wilson (or your preferred impression)

72. Tracy Jordan (from 30 Rock) (or your preferred impression)

73. Harry Caray (or your preferred impression)

74. Jon Lovitz (or your preferred impression)

75. Speaks in the 3rd person

76. Misuses words

77. Constantly interrupts

78. Compulsive liar

79. Corrects slang

80. Speaks from the corner of their mouth

81. Uses big words

82. Uses pet names

83. Constantly uses adages

84. Easily distracted

85. Takes everything literally

86. Argues semantics

87. Constantly uses metaphors

88. Incredibly obscene

89. Stutters

90. Slurs speech

91. Voice cracks

92. Vague descriptions

93. Rhymes names with nonsense words

94. Overuses the word "weasel"

95. Has no sense of volume control

96. Refers constantly to events in history

97. Laughs while speaking often

98. Confrontational

99. Answers questions with questions

100. Matter-of-fact

That's the table; I hope you can use it to spice up your game. Again, feel free to fudge rolls and substitute voices. And since there are four different types of voices here (voice descriptions, speech descriptions, accents, and impressions), you don't really need to be able to do almost 100 unique voices--you're really just taking a detail or two into consideration when you inhabit an NPC. Good luck with the voices!

Coming soon: how to keep your game balanced, how to help players find their fun, and what works (and what doesn't) when you're trying to tell a grand story. Until next time, happy gaming!

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Taverns and Barkeeps Reference

The tavern is a classic standby for Dungeons & Dragons. Many adventures begin in taverns, and taverns are the most reliable place for adventurers to hold themselves over between adventures. The bottom line is, you're going to have your party end up in a tavern eventually, and that's just the way that it is. But taverns are colorful, noisy places, and each one has the potential to be a unique experience. By characterizing a tavern in particular, you open the possibility that players will want to return to those specific taverns they enjoyed. 

But it can be a lot of work to improvise an entire tavern. Much in the same way as with NPCs, it's helpful to have a list to roll for and just have a premade tavern. So below I've posted an expansion of a list I use, which includes a variety of information to make it simple to drop these taverns into your gameworld. Use these taverns to add some flavor to the party's pit stops and meal times, and focus on the big picture stuff instead of grasping for tavern details. Roll a d100 and subtract 50 if your roll is over 50. The information is presented as [Tavern Name] - [Barkeep Name] - [Quality of Food and Drink] - [Unique Trait].

1. The Rusty Blowhorn - Horton Darkwater - Average food, good drink - Daily arm-wrestling competition, reigning champ is Charlie Breakneck
2. Hardiman's - Deena Hardiman - Good food, average drink - Deena and all the other employees are a troupe of performers
3. Home Away from Home - Irisil Lennox - Great food, good drink - Irisil is doting and motherly to all patrons, asking personal questions and offering advice and support
4. The Drunken Bell - Jacob Ivorykeys - Good food, great drink - A favorite hangout for hunters and trappers, who are suspicious of non-hunter/trappers
5. Galvin and Dobbs' - Galvin Hunnam and Nick Dobbs - Average food, great drink - Galvin and Dobbs have a slightly antagonistic relationship and prank each other while working
6. Parsons' Creek Brewers - June Ingersoll - Good food, fantastic drink - These human brewers are obsessed with quality; their prices are somewhat high, but well worth it for the product
7. Sebastian Cliffracer's Tavern - Sebastian Cliffracer - Good food, good drink - Sebastian is an ex-adventurer who tells tall tales about his glory days to any patron who will listen
8. The Knotty Sycamore - Heidi Golddew - Average food, great drink - The go-to hangout for law enforcers in the settlement
9. The Open Door - Freddy Cillinel - Good food, great drink - A hangout spot for local Thieves' Guild members, including Freddy's role as a fence
10. Dragonbrew - Victor Marblesmasher - Great food, fantastic drink - Known for its hearty dwarven comfort food and "Dragon Ale," a heavy brew of dwarven ale and spices known for its alcohol content
11. The Feirmor Standard - Dez Winnow - Fantastic food, great drink - This large diner and bar is known for its quality food of all cuisines and its sizable stage, where nightly shows take place
12. Oats and Water - Florence Teakettle - Average food, bad drink - This tavern caters to travelers with a naturalist perspective; the food are drink are nutritious but not very tasty
13. The Lucky Lady - Gwenivere Xallia - Good food, average drink - Regular customer Bryce Callithur plays a running game of the card game Three Dragon Ante, hustling unsuspecting patrons
14. Bastard Bill's - Bill Durberry - Average food, fantastic drink - Bill himself is very confrontational and strikes up arguments with customers over anything he can manage
15. Zoopillio - Flick Dominio - Good food, good drink - This bizarre gnomish bar has walls adorned by mechanical devices and blueprints, and Flick can be seen trying out a mechanical employee
16. The Morning Tides - Grimla Thanadew - Fantastic food, great drink - This restaurant is built in a circle around a stage which hosts alternative music performances regularly
17. Chapter Nine - Victoria Redland - Good food, great drink - This bar is an addition on to a public library; the menu focuses on fine wines
18. The Victor's Circle - Vincent Agincort - Good food, fantastic drink - This bar is always introducing new drinks and holding daily contests for the most popular beverages
19. It Wasn't the Best Idea - Jurk Drent - Good food, average drink - Jurk is obscene and irritable, and he complains to anyone who will listen that his bar was supposed to be named something filthy but the signmaker refused
20. Quittin' Time - Nusk Wrelt - Great food, great drink - This tavern is a standard hangout for hard larborers, especially orcs and humans
21. The Night Haunt - Helga Wide-eyes - Good food, great drink - This spooky, macabre tavern is run by fortune-teller Helga, who tries to foresee the future of her patrons
22. Grob - Serk Cranet - Great food, average drink - This tavern, named for the island homeland of the orcs, is home to orcish people and frequent wrestling competitions
23. Ribskibildon - Mildy Doublescoop - Great food, good drink - This gnomish bar is decorated with flying devices, from personal helicopters to makeshift biplanes
24. The Unicorn's Advice - Flien Fillien - Fantastic food, great drink - This upscale elven tavern is named for an elven saying "The unicorn's advice is not given but bestowed"; employees are known for upselling the patrons
25. Hector's - Hector Jaskins - Good food, great drink - The tavern is in the process of being robbed when the player characters enter; Hector is bound in the back of the bar and will reward the party with free drinks if they rescue him
26. Joy in a Tankard - Francis Stumpsplitter - Average food, fantastic drink - This tavern is dominated by dwarven brewing and offers a special "Dwarven Heritage Ale"; the tavern's name comes from the dwarven saying "Wise men find joy in a tankard"
27. The Exiled Fox - Gloria Cleanblade - Fantastic food, great drink - No menus exist in this tavern; the chef, Linda Cutbone, interviews the patron and crafts a custom dish for each person
28. Atir Brewery - Erosile Doherty - Great food, average drink - This tavern, named for a half-even city, is run by a married couple; half-elf Erosile handles bartending and orders and her husband Daniel cooks; they are openly affectionate and have creative names for each order
29. Your Favorite Chair - Phillip Triskil - Good food, great drink - While most taverns have the cheapest seating available, this tavern features oversized armchairs in a variety of sizes throughout the bar
30. The Xenolith - Ed Mill - Average food, fantastic drink - Brothers Ed and Eli are master distillers and can make excellent versions of any distilled beverage; they named their tavern after the demigod said to cause earthquakes
31. Westunder's - John Westunder - Great food, great drink - Bartender John is rapid-talking, silly, and comically confrontational; he wants to entertain his patrons and parades around the tavern making scenes for everyone's amusement
32. The Rattling Die - Reggie Strawbale - Average food, bad drink - This tavern is an absolute dive bar complete with graffiti on the walls and a curious odor; another patron throws up when the players arrive
33. Firebreath's - Tina Crenshaw - Bad food, fantastic drink - Tina is an intermediate spellcaster who enchants each drink with a harmless effect, such as the consumer's skin turns blue for one minute or the consumer becomes one foot shorter until the drink is finished
34. The White Rose - Gordon Amperville - Good food, average drink - Gordon is a heavy alcoholic who guzzles booze between taking orders and often makes mistakes because of his inebriation
35. Breezefield - Maude Whistle - Great food, average drink - This tavern is decorated with enormous pots of flowers everywhere, spreading pleasing colors and scents across the tavern
36. The Bar Without a Face - Linda Winnow - Good food, great drink - This tavern does not have a wall on the front of the building, giving the entire tavern the impression of being a patio bar; things get a little rowdy here with the lack of boundaries
37. The Empty Dipper - Peter Nevermore - Average food, average drink - This tavern is overrun with the poor of the town as its prices are extremely low; the decor reflects the focus on cheap production
38. Olidammara's Kitchen - Rudy Freehand - Fantastic food, great drink - This relatively upscale tavern employs innovative ways of cooking, boasting a flash-roasted boar, creamed vegetable pie, and twice-baked bread, among others
39. Prayers and Nook - Blaine Hugo - Average food, good drink - This tavern dedicates half of its real estate to being a mid-range tavern and half of its space to being a mid-range brothel; it offers one sex worker of every category to satisfy demands
40. Hollop Central - Williel Prosperity - Good food, fantastic drink - This elven tavern focuses on the elven drink hollop, a drink distilled of an elven root vegetable; many patrons are regulars for the fine beverage in all its varieties
41. The Kingdom - Deerka Pellisonger - Good food, good drink - This tavern employs carefully trained enchanted animals to staff the business; patrons may have their order taken by Spot the labrador, their drink made by Lonnie the moose, and their food made by Lightfoot the wolf
42. Yesterday - Luther Ritter - Great food, good drink - This tavern is decorated in fashions long since passed and is home to a stage where musicians can play the hits of years passed
43. The Carved Skullplate - Gromor Alk - Good food, great drink - Each table of this tavern has a humanoid skull, each intricately carved with astronomical symbols, fixed in the center of the table as decoration; Gromor is unwilling to divulge where the skulls came from
44. Roadside Relaxation - Nolan Knotfort - Great food, average drink - This tavern doubles as an inn with above-average treatment for travelers, including hot baths, breakfast buffet, and quarters for mounts
45. First Snow - Hammond Howard - Good food, good drink - Hammond recently recovered from a bandit attack and is still on crutches; he offers the party payment if they will track down the bandits and exact justice
46. The Curse - Jenny Peafeather - Great food, great drink - Jenny jokes with her customers that eating here will cause a curse where other taverns will never be as enjoyable again; she plays this joke up no matter how patrons react
47. The Scraps - Jade Ollintree - Fantastic food, great drink - Jade specializes in soul food and publicly announces that her ingredients are subpar, but the result is always incredible; sample dishes include rat stew and chicken gizzards
48. Chivalry - Derek Hammersmith - Good food, great drink - Before being allowed into the tavern, patrons must recount a good deed they have performed in the last week; bouncer Pluck Frunk judges whether the patrons are good enough to enter
49. The Caged Bird - Yancy Bigstocking - Average food, great drink - Inside the tavern, at the center of the room, is a massive cage with a parrot inside; the parrot has plenty of room to move around and yells profanities at patrons
50. The Slow Pocketwatch - Orson Huxley - Fantastic food, great drinks - Orson warns patrons that meals take extra long here as chef Bryson Deerfellow is thorough; to accommodate patrons, he offers the patrons' second drink at half price

With this list of taverns, you'll always be prepared to drop your players into a bar where you don't need to work as hard to characterize things. If a detail goes against something you had planned, then just ignore it, but certain prompts can even expand the range of your adventure (like #45, which has the beginnings of a quest tucked in). The important thing here is that tavern experiences are interesting and unique, and these will allow you to step in that direction.

There are other ways to get into the details of a tavern: the food and drinks offered by each. To that end, I'm posting lists of food and drinks you're likely to get from each ranking of the quality of food and drink above. You'll notice the list only has a few entries for genuinely bad or unremarkable quality, which is done on purpose. Having a bad meal out should be a rare experience unless the party is looking for it, while in order for a restaurant to survive, they have to be at least pretty decent. In any case, here is a full menu for each quality of food and drinks you can encounter: 

Bad food: Skirt steak and boiled potatoes, white bread and hard cheese, dried venison and hard tack, roast wild boar and fresh greens, baked salmon and rice

Bad drink: Basic light ale, human-distilled whiskey, halfling wine, orcish stout, gnomish gin

 

Average food: Strip steak and mashed potatoes, grilled chicken and brown bread, roasted hare and roasted carrots, grilled trout and roast broccoli, smoked venison and peas

Average drink: Gnomish red ale, elf-distilled whiskey, human wine, halfling stout, orcish vodka

Good food: T-bone steak and creamed corn, roasted veal and roasted potatoes, grilled halibut and spiced cauliflower, fried chicken and fried okra, baked turkey and stuffing

Good drink: Elven floral ale, gnome-distilled whiskey, dwarven wine, human stout, orcish rum

Great food: Porterhouse steak and grilled asparagus, pulled pork and garlic mashed potatoes, dried elk and dark bread, baked swan and creamed spinach, grilled red snapper and roasted sweet potato

Great drink: Halfling light ale, orc-distilled whiskey, gnomish wine, dwarven stout, human brandy

Fantastic food: Ribeye steak and mushroom gravy with grilled leeks, roasted pork and corn chowder, bacon and brussel sprouts, grilled tuna and roasted beets, roasted goat and grilled artichokes

Fantastic drink: Crindlin (halfling distilled drink from the sap of a tree), hollop (elven distilled drink from the vegetable jaswop), dwarven amber ale, dwarf-distilled whiskey, elven wine

Providing a menu for player characters to order may seem like a silly way to spend your time as a DM, but consider this: your job as DM is to fill in details that make the players' experiences more interesting. And as small a token as it is, being allowed to order specific food makes the players happy. You can offer taverns that will short-order cook any meal requested to allow the players to get really creative, or you can use these menus to provide options at a variety of more restricted taverns. And feel free to get granular with the details--substitutions, prices, the personality of the tavernkeeper--all of them will add some color to the otherwise routine experience of going to a tavern. 

One final consideration of taverns is how much things cost. This depends on how you've decided money operates in your setting, but I've offered some guidelines that are true in my world and will likely carry over to yours. For reference, I set a single copper piece at the value of a single basic drink and expand from there. 

Bad food: 1-3 copper pieces, depending on the quantity of food

Bad drink: 1 copper piece

 

Average food: 2-4 copper pieces, again depending on the quantity of food

Average drink: 1-2 copper pieces, depending on the establishment

Good food: 3-5 copper pieces, again depending on the quantity of food

Good drink: 2-3 copper pieces, depending on the establishment

Great food: 4-7 copper pieces, again depending on the quantity of food

Great drink: 3-4 copper pieces, depending on the establishment

Fantastic food: 5 copper pieces to 1 silver piece (10 copper pieces), again depending on the quantity of food

Fantastic drink: 4-8 copper pieces, depending on the establishment

The key with prices is to reflect real world prices: you can eat at a fast food restaurant for a few bucks, but an upscale restaurant will charge you upward of 20 dollars, so a ratio of 1:10 is about right. Similarly, you can get a cheap beer for a few bucks in the right place, but a fancy cocktail will run you 15 bucks in some establishments. Keep in mind that spending big money on food and drinks is something only wealthier characters can manage, so don't have the poor, huddled masses of your city dropping coins in an upscale tavern unless there's a good reason. 

Now that I've given you everything you need to drop a tavern in your game, get out there and adventure! A host of unique taverns will be waiting for you when your adventure is over.  

Coming soon: how to write with story beats, how and when to fudge rolls, and how to improvise encounters. Until next time, happy gaming!

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NPC Database

If you're like me, you enjoy coming up with the connective tissue of a story when you're GMing. How do the players get from point A to point B? What challenges arise? What are the details that give these movement life? How does the story represent itself even in the background? I love this part of GMing. It's improvisation mixed with writing, and it's probably what your players find the most compelling. After all, it's these details which are more or less unique to role-playing games. But you can't focus on these kinds of details if you're worried about more small-scale aspects of the game. For me, coming up with NPCs to drop into the world can be fun, but it takes a lot of mental energy I would rather spend on story stuff. So I created a series of lists of NPCs with enough information to be complex and three-dimensional at a glance. I thought I'd share it, as it will be highly useful to GMs who want to focus their creative efforts in other places. 

A few notes before the lists: I have fairly specific naming conventions for each race in the standard D&D collection, and you'll notice that I stick with them. If these don't fit your world, of course tweak them to make them fit. But I think most D&D settings can use what I have here. Also, I include the vital information on a character (name, age, race, alignment) as well as personality traits--I use these so that each NPC isn't just a different skin on the same plot-progressing machine. But these are as much jumping-off points as complete characters, so use these however is useful. If they help even a few GMs, I'll be very happy. 

Finally, I recommend using dice to select NPCs to drop into situations. You can roll a d8 to select the race of a character (the seven races in the 3.5 Player's Handbook is what I've gone by, with humans accounting for two rolls since I have two distinct bloodlines of humans in my homebrew setting), then a d100 to select an individual name (33 names on each list, so you can convert a roll higher than 33 by subtracting 33 or 66 from your roll to get a usable number--if you get a 100, I suggest using an established NPC). That's a total of 264 characters to work with! Some of the characters I've used from these lists have become major parts of campaigns, and others have been one-time appearances never referred to again. That's fine by me--I just want to have a character to work with without having to come up with them on the spot. So good luck with the lists and your campaigns!

Humans

1. Zed Clanton, 65, NE, selfish, aggressive, curious
2. Susan Plainview, 18, NG, bold, idealistic, haughty
3. Gabriel Herndon, 24, LE, controlling, gregarious, disapproving
4. Nancy Painter, 36, LN, patient, ambitious, jokester
5. Clarence Porter, 51, NG, reflective, blunt, unsentimental
6. Anne Lecky, 40, CG, practical, neat, determined
7. Peter Overstreet, 37, N, serious, aloof, inattentive
8. Claire Matthews, 43, NE, studious, intellectual, dismissive
9. Lorne Nelson, 19, CG, creative, abstract, bizarre
10. Catherine Howard, 20, CN, imperturbable, bright, kindly
11. Preston Turner, 43, LE, stable, arrogant, determined
12. Eva Wyatt, 15, N, protective, spiteful, hypocritical
13. Aaron Brown, 45, LE, personable, trusting, temperamental 
14. Bertha Cooper, 54, LE, private, industrious, slow
15. Carmine Dixon, 25, CN, stoic, laid-back, devious
16. Della Eckman, 31, LN, thoughtful, conventional, opportunistic
17. Ezekiel Ford, 49, CG, innovative, devout, giving
18. Frances Gant, 26, NG, perfectionist, extroverted, idealistic
19. Gil Huston, 23, LG, innocent, unfortunate, carefree
20. Hetty Innsbrook, 61, LE, violent, driven, calculating
21. Ira Jeffers, 47, NG, industrious, passionate, serious
22. Jen Kimmel, 39, NG, adventurous, insistent, dependable
23. Klaus Laird, 32, NE, unyielding, headstrong, dishonest
24. Linda Morgan, 45, N, organized, playful, dramatic
25. Marcus Nast, 24, NE, shifty, leader, impatient
26. Norma Opal, 37, CE, vengeful, irritable, talkative
27. Owen Prince, 51, LE, resourceful, creative, noble
28. Posie Quarterlane, 36, CG, intense, intuitive, friendly
29. Quint Randolph, 12, LN, pointed, curious, outspoken
30. Rhonda Skinner, 53, CG, leader, sensitive, warm
31. Sid Travers, 33, CN, imaginative, bleak, childish
32. Trish Updike, 20, CE, pushy, energetic, reactive
33. Ulric Vance, 43, LG, artistic, spiritual, private
34. Violet Ware, 11, N, logical, reserved, polite
35. Yancy Zorn, 28, LG, systematic, resilient, diligent
36. Zora Archer, 59, LN, performative, jealous, philosophical
37. Melvin Yamhill, 51, LG, brilliant, guarded, uncertain
38. Liddy Brenner, 14, CN, sincere, guilty, outraged
39. James Sheffield, 16, CE, perfectionist, greedy, addictive
40. Blessing Briscoe, 17, CG, knowledgeable, rebellious, affectionate
41. Heidi Trane, 29, CE, forceful, dismissive, sarcastic
42. Gunther Lawrence, 32, NG, introverted, self-conscious, contemplative
43. Wanda Ewing, 21 NG, faithful, mature, rowdy
44. Riley Malone, 9, CN, risk-taker, insecure, charming
45. Emmitt White, 40, LN, frenzied, weird, shy
46. Ophelia Purdue, 31, LE, secretive, listener, timid
47. Marvin Toome, 37, LN, cooperative, observant, respectful
48. Harriet Redman, 50, CN, sneaky, argumentative, worried
49. William Fortune, 27, N, foolish, friendly, mysterious
50. Helen Briggs, 45, CG, industrious, guarded, helpful
51. Jason Kline, 60, NG, soft-spoken, humorless, secretive
52. Kyra Winnow, 23, LE, snobbish, ignorant, bewildered
53. Vanessa Wharton, 54, N, suspicious, careful, dreary
54. Chester Harkin, 41, LN, devout, faithful, supportive
55. Howard Hyde, 47, LN, attentive, decisive, quiet
56. Abigail Turnbuckle, 43, NE, critical, cowardly, nervous
57. Donald Connors, 88, LG, serene, empathetic, mindful of simplicity
58. Candace "Caddy" Williams, 35, CN, somber, gentle, restless
59. Earl Sumner, 46, CE, possessive, irritable, resistant
60. Catherine Haskill, 39, CN, adaptable, aloof, brave
61. Niles Nelson, 20, CN, entrepreneurial, argumentative, underhanded
62. Elliott Swiftblade, 30, NG, adventurous, brave, confident
63. Hera Dixon, 38, CE, immature, noisy, sensitive
64. Lancaster Beale, 76, LG, helpful, curious, reserved
65. Shyla Compson, 26, NG, spontaneous, impertinent, ambitious
66. Geraldine Hoffman, 33, N, rebellious, intuitive, loyal

Elves

1. Davil Prenille, 265, LG, world-weary, skeptical, giving
2. Valerica Achilleos, 954, LG, resourceful, principled, dorky
3. Hakari Huri, 564, CN, spunky, uninhibited, accepting
4. Corbell Sispen, 137, NG, grounded, outspoken, idealistic
5. Quarsa Fielt, 145, LN, considerate, competitive, indulgent
6. Toniel Gla'asa, 526, N, brilliant, calm, quiet
7. Megalla Quintar, 891, CG, protective, faithful, patient
8. Achiel Miltari, 194, CN, irreverent, innovative, expressive
9. Barim Nustar, 438, CG, realistic, resourceful, joker
10. Coriel Ossitar, 271, NG, capable, easy-going, persistent
11. Dinoska Pillas, 1007, CE, vengeful, irritable, sly
12. Echira Quanisa, 177, CG, practical, neat, determined
13. Forihim Ruskinil, 999, NG, friendly, dramatic, adventurous
14. Gemila Sappol, 671, LG, bold, self-involved, eager
15. Higella Ternala, 190, CE, enthusiastic, restless, harsh
16. Illthar Urmar, 185, LG, tentative, cordial, forgiving
17. Junym Visyl, 817, NG, guiding, patient, heroic
18. Kastra Wymora, 850, CE, selfish, artistic, reckless
19. Lorasta Xarkas, 787, CG, strange, absent-minded, loving
20. Merwin Yannorin, 654, NG, focused, defiant, confident
21. Nyrill Zylora, 874, LE, charismatic, proud, studious
22. Othar Arsys, 897, NE, bossy, ignorant, scornful
23. Pethana Bresyra, 174, NE, authoritative, systematic, oppressive
24. Quandyl Cosbell, 465, CG, impulsive, outgoing, selfless
25. Ruthil Derwynn, 763, CN, helpful, outgoing, parental
26. Sorildyn Eleris, 1114, CG, dedicated, honorable, optimistic
27. Tothali Folwyn, 320, CE, brutal, careless, possessive
28. Ulen Gemalkin, 596, NE, petty, disruptive, impractical
29. Vascala Hellewin, 954, N, maternal, businesslike, friendly
30. Worion Idaro, 890, LN, quiet, timid, dutiful
31. Xoala Julastin, 1058, LE, bored, inconsiderate, power-hungry
32. Yano Kosandoral, 960, CN, trouble-maker, bold, wacky
33. Zaida Lenala, 644, CG, independent, thrill-seeker, capricious

Half-Elves

1. Webster Xan, 34, N, studious, cautious, driven
2. Xillia Yarborough, 339, CG, adventurous, grateful, paternal
3. Algar O'Dell, 345, NG, faithful, quiet, solemn
4. Dewey Tynellin, 329, NG, cooperative, generous, principled
5. Edmund Biriel, 56, CN, mature, absent-minded, calm
6. Lynette Adoma, 109, CG, gregarious, inventive, silly
7. Gilbert Topperill, 154, CG, curious, procrastinator, temperamental
8. Norma Disseel, 184, LN, traditional, curious, reserved
9. Fintik Barber, 389, CG, fussy, thoughtful, humble
10. Sigil Tanner, 393, LG, ambitious, imaginative, realistic
11. Kinta Harmon, 25, CN, honest, hard-working, artistic
12. Ivell Cardham, 21, LN, patient, kind, imaginative
13. Alles Finch, 152, CG, rebellious, merciful, entrepreneurial
14. Uvi Pinetop, 226, LN, cheerful, thoughtful, sly
15. Talya Birdsong, 94, CE, insincere, neglectful, clumsy
16. Riash Zimmer, 125, CG, headstrong, naive, unlucky
17. Tianel Stoutman, 259, CN, creative, open-minded, intuitive
18. Gimiel Wortham, 354, NE, spiritual, dissatisfied, distracted
19. Haleira Yamhill, 47, CG, elegant, affectionate, leader
20. Iljor Ashford, 171, CG, protective, temperamental, logical
21. Janet Biquinial, 65, CN, devout, mentor, organized
22. Khyrym Coleman, 25, CN, harmonious, principled, passionate
23. Lisaro Dunmere, 356, LG, self-controlled, strong-willed, assertive
24. Marietta Eritora, 80, NG, patient, courageous, impulsive
25. Nicole Fyrra, 402, NG, introspective, loner, wise
26. Osharia Golfaren, 38, CG, balanced, trusting, open
27. Perry Holcomb, 211, N, fair, responsible, decisive
28. Qesterin Iludi, 340, CG, vulnerable, curious, unconventional
29. Rychell "Rye" Jamseon, 20, LN, future-focused, unafraid, gravely ill
30. Sandy Lombard, 158, CN, opportunistic, unfortunate, skittish
31. Tessimar Moore, 73, NG, moderate, diplomatic, energetic
32. Urym Niwenys, 273, LG, obsessive, indulgent, frustrated
33. Valerie Orson, 33, CG, dramatic, insightful, humble

Dwarves 

1. Tane Stonehauler, 336, LG, hopeful, inspiring, generous
2. Madeline Dustsifter, 164, LN, imaginative, anxious, easily confused
3. Viola Goldsmith, 349, NE, happy, childlike, philosophical
4. Davenport Hidesplitter, 284, LE, authoritative, organized, vicious
5. Damon Stonesplitter, 15, LG, vigilant, dutiful, humble
6. Wanda Earthmover, 314, LG, helpful, trusting, uncertain
7. Savannah Rockshaker, 223, N, opinionated, hopeful, forgiving
8. Heidi Throatstomper, 341, NG, detail-oriented, devout, maternal
9. Jacob Marbleminer, 336, LG, well-respected, peaceful, teacher
10. Meredith Sandmover, 290, CG, ambitious, inventive, confident
11. Emily Muddigger, 153, LG, bold, original, contemplative
12. Gordon Treeclipper, 200, LN, prepared, visionary, principled
13. Lana Golddigger, 168, NE, joyous, self-destructive, personable
14. Maxwell Hammerpounder, 24, LG, narrow focus, ambitious, regal
15. Frances Oakcutter, 231, LN, studious, reserved, spiritual
16. Heathcliff Mudcarver, 303, LG, disagreeable, competitive, proud
17. Charlotte Rockhewer, 334, CG, acclaimed, hardworking, dedicated
18. Edgar Grassgrower, 361, CG, determined, confident, reluctant to change course
19. Korkner Barkeater, 36, NG, decisive, hopeful, future-oriented
20. Arlene Granitebreaker, 190, N, defensive, perseverant, wounded
21. Peyton Copperminer, 209, NE, exhausted, struggling, worried
22. Carlisle Blessedforge, 298, NG, enthusiastic, risk-taker, expressive
23. Dolly Bronzebane, 278, CG, passionate, charming, thrill-seeker
24. Ethan Alegrip, 320, LG, generous, independent, warm
25. Fallia Hammermaster, 174, LE, inspiring, assertive, inventive
26. George Mudgrog, 217, LN, deliberate, watchful, survivor
27. Hector Steelhelm, 69, NE, forceful, intimate, intuitive
28. Isha Blackchain, 379, LE, affectionate, businesslike, spiritual
29. Juniper Deepforge, 90, LG, exuberant, harmonious, energetic
30. Karl Hidegrip, 172, CG, dissatisfied, self-absorbed, bored
31. Lanier Goldlace, 338, LG, grieving, regretful, defeated
32. Molly Silverstone, 367, CG, sentimental, kind, blissful
33. Norris Anvilback, 403, LN, indecisive, dreamer, principled

Half-Orcs

1. Delia Primm, 70, CN, deep thinker, future-focused, burnt out
2. Larski Brot, 13, LG, content, proud, principled
3. Shav Krink, 76, CN, joyful, peacful, personable
4. Blet Scran, 63, NG, creative, intuitive, intimate
5. Trall Kort, 53, CE, visionary, empathetic, subtle
6. Ruk Frenk, 33, LE, spiritual, imaginative, soothing
7. Dulk Sart, 5, CG, diplomatic, wise, caring
8. Feln Trapp, 60, CG, intelligent, truthful, just
9. Gint Larb, 16, CN, indecisive, compromising, struggling
10. Nerk Zanf, 26, LE, lonely, betrayed, spiteful
11. Dort Grott, 19, CE, meditative, anxious, lost
12. Charf Nilt, 58, CN, disappointed, hostile, self-interested
13. Rilka Brek, 41, LG, sad, suppressed, in need of guidance
14. Tigug Ulgan, 24, LG, cunning, independent, witty
15. Vriska Kilug, 7, CN, confused, powerless, angry
16. Globat Borbal, 77, CN, imaginative, practical, personable
17. Ghorza Rulfim, 11, CE, depressed, exhausted, desperate
18. Shelur Farghed, 52, N, defeated, distrusting, forlorn
19. Xurl Dugorim, 43, N, knowledgeable, honest, impulsive
20. Larek Ragash, 60, CN, fierce, intellectual, direct
21. Shadbak Uloth, 13, N, clever, truthful, respectful
22. Grat Sharn, 14, CE, rational, impartial, leader
23. Gul Dombuk, 35, LE, practical, opportunistic, clarity of purpose
24. Nagh Murzush, 57, CN, flexible, playful, focused
25. Bula Lazgar, 70, CN, cooperative, prepared, passionate
26. Yotul Lagahk, 63, CN, greedy, resistant, impatient
27. Lazgar Mazoga, 47, NE, insecure, ill, disapproving
28. Lash Bagdurash, 73, NE, reflective, patient, unconventional
29. Bolar Rogmesh, 28, CN, generous, authoritative, leader
30. Orzul Gharol, 40, CE, diligent, focused, curious
31. Yazgash Mog, 56, LG, hardworking, self-reliant, refined
32. Zubug Pargu, 9, NG, traditional, helpful, charitable
33. Zilg "Z" Vigdug, 31, LE, responsible, common sensical, trusting

Halflings

1. Clover Loom, 77, N, unwavering, cautious, thorough
2. Kirk Tumbler, 97, NE, realistic, industrious, principled
3. Tabitha Tealeaf, 221, N, nurturing, down-to-earth, resourceful
4. Jordine Spoke, 110, NG, patient, dependable, modest
5. Augustana Belt, 101, LN, apprehensive, hurried, righteous
6. Lisa Keyhole, 291, LN, cocky, incoherent, shrewd
7. Burton Cuff, 257, LE, shameless, composed, irreverent
8. Greta Lock, 180, NG, formal, plucky, pious
9. Josephine Glass, 115, N, inspiring, emphatic, self-doubting
10. Abner Rainfellow, 76, LG, devout, lost, inconsolable
11. Betty Bluebottle, 200, NE, arrogant, vicious, unrelenting
12. Connor Yarn, 54, NE, self-centered, practical, imaginative
13. Daisy Littlehill, 238, CG, curious, self-assured, unflappable
14. Eddy Nailtop, 288, N, sneaky, irresponsible, unlucky
15. Felix Manykeys, 221, NE, gregarious, braggart, easily manipulated
16. Georgia Goodbowl, 290, CG, principled, dishonest, wise
17. Harry Stoutleaf, 55, N, restless, aimless, easily manipulated
18. Isla Razor, 188, LG, inventive, directionless, brave
19. John Wirebrook, 230, LG, knowledgeable, aloof, passive
20. Kassie Wheelspring, 244, LG, helpful, scared, heartbroken
21. Louis Goodeye, 133, NE, outraged, violent, principled
22. Maude Crazygoat, 189, LE, irritable, jokester, temperamental
23. Nathaniel Soap, 68, CN, driven, obsessive, self-destructive
24. Opal Bookdale, 143, CN, self-absorbed, oblivious, possessive
25. Paul Shortwick, 130, LN, straightforward, loving, simple
26. Quinn Goodbarrel, 105, CG, forgetful, desperate, clever
27. Ralph Warmpipe, 51, N, practical, paternal, artistic
28. Sally Cloudworth, 253, LG, gruff, negative, strategic
29. Tenille Brushlock, 149, LG, incredulous, irritable, hopeful
30. Omar Slowhand, 399, CN, bold, private, in control
31. Vicki Mooncloak, 155, NG, authoritative, tough, direct
32. Wendell Farbutton, 95, NG, loudmouthed, addictive, unruly
33. Sarah Freeshadow, 183, LG, stern, protective, talkative

Gnomes

1. Strut Galili, 414, LE, decisive, vicious, calculating
2. Cecil Corbo Blink, 268, NG, taciturn, dedicated, action-focused
3. Melodrome Boddynock, 38, N, principled, brave, mysterious
4. Haftra Fiskinspark, 81, LN, happy, trusting, nervous
5. Beep Tolnackle, 595, CE, loner, defensive, surprised
6. Skip Liddle, 165, CN, spiteful, motivated, uncertain
7. Tavar Tock, 489, N, quiet, exacting, sneaky
8. Finny Laskinack, 32, LE, loud, violent, short-tempered
9. Tinktink Clicksteel, 281, LN, faithful, persistent, reserved
10. Goldie Thistlespark, 115, N, heroic, volatile, dreary
11. Dinlo Fastfizzle, 129, LN, dark, misanthropic, inquisitive
12. Quilp Wobblebonk, 128, N, suspicious, defensive, cloying
13. Olbiglius Swizzlepipe, 226, CG, confused, idealistic, scientific
14. Gorbulus Boffins, 588, LG, adventurous, unassuming, dutiful
15. Lyssbetonk Cogswagon, 276, LE, sneaky, calculating, opportunistic
16. Bixi Thenbabrick, 375, CN, open-minded, intellectual, well-rounded
17. Dimly Sadpockets, 222, CE, strategic, careful, resourceful
18. Mimble Ladlesworth, 480, CN, devout, charismatic, nurturing
19. Queen Bobrick, 376, NG, depressed, directionless, handy
20. Arcwitz Jellyroll, 99, NG, reserved, inconsistent, productive
21. Bolt Cogsmith, 8, LG, comical, critical, animated
22. Gilbin Bottlefingers, 36, CN, reckless, open-minded, zany
23. Arcalena Greenyellow, 345, LN, tentative, nimble, anxious
24. Dizzy Doublecannon, 191, LG, self-aware, creative, caustic
25. Spark Bumbletumble, 443, N, renegade, strategic, bold
26. Jerylin Hatstink, 209, LE, knowledgeable, gentle, charismatic
27. Trifffft Penderflerflur, 491, LE, mysterious, self-serving, crafty
28. Seven Fifteen, 364, LN, perceptive, exacting, responsible
29. Lorelai Cobblewobbles 152, CG, conflicted, helpful, unfortunate
30. Warble Zarzaphod, 92, NG, over-the-top, ingenious, bizarre
31. Darcy Fortypigs, 421, NG, calculating, idealistic, organized
32. Bart Zazezizozuz, 584, CN, driven, empathetic, grounded
33. Sippikup Magee, 137, N, investigative, principled, pushy

A final note: if you want to come up with a resource like this for yourself, here's some advice. For names, I find it easier to make up a name if I have initials to start with. So I'll list the alphabet down the page and go from there. (If you look at most of the name lists, you'll see this pattern.) Ages and alignments are easy to pick randomly given the race of the character. And for the personality traits, you can use all variety of methods: envision a personality and describe it; use lists of personality traits (like this one); look at your favorite books/movies/video games/etc and describe your favorite characters; I even used my tarot decks to create a good chunk of the personalities in this list. Any jumping-off point that works for you will be good. And if you find that good-aligned characters have negative traits and evil-aligned characters have positive traits, that's fine! It makes for more complex storytelling if the evil person is actually superficially nice or the good person is a pushy snob. Remember alignment is about tendencies, not personalities. 

Hopefully, this resource is helpful to a few DMs out there. Next time, a write-up of the mystery campaign I've been using these names for with more information on how to craft an ongoing mystery campaign. 

Coming soon: how to deal with critical rolls, how to create in-game documents, and how to design a dungeon. Until next time, happy gaming!

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Session Two Notes and NPC Development

The second session of the game accomplished quite a bit, I'm happy to say. Over the course of the night, the adventurers delved into gathering information pertinent to their personal goals, joined up again, and started to get to know some of the NPCs around them. Obviously, rejoining a split party is a huge benefit for most campaigns. But the other two developments - both indications that they're beginning to immerse themselves into the game world - and I'm even more excited about that. The best lesson on running a game I can offer is to figure out what gets your players engaged and then giving them more of it. Offer small diversions, and when they become interested in the stories that flow out of the diversion (or when they enjoy the style of the story), build more from those. Successful, fun campaigns often evolve out of players obsessing over a side plot as long as the DM is willing to make more out of the side plot.

We're jumping into the deep stuff right away in this post, apparently. Following a summary of the session, I'm going to talk about my method for developing NPCs and how to place them into a campaign without planning ahead. As a side note, the player who controls Gerald wasn't able to join us until midway through the session, so Gerald's having run off on his own was an easy way to deal with his player's absence.

At the end of the previous session, Gerald had run away to be by himself; Ell had gone with Fiskar and Ren the mysterious elf to get dessert and wine; Carric and Dez had returned to Gilly at the Temple of Pelor's Grace. We began with Carric and Dez. Gilly was surprised that another person was interested in the plague, and the group discussed what little information they had. Gilly asked them to obtain a book from the royal library about diseases. Carric cast Detect Poison/Disease on a plague victim and discovered that it registers as positive on a spell detecting disease as well as for magic. Carric and Dez then headed for a prestigious school called the Worley Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Meanwhile, Ell, Fiskar, and Ren arrived at The Purple Stocking and enjoyed fine wines and desserts. The three assassins/bounty hunters/whatever term you choose discussed their shared profession in veiled terms. Ren described Clan Born at Night, a collective he created. The group of bounty hunters he works and lives with are his family, he told them. He then asked to speak with Fiskar alone. Ell went outside and watched their conversation from a covert position, but wasn't able to discern what was said. Fiskar left the bar, and Ell joined up with him. Fiskar tried to describe Ren and then divulged information about the fall of Talon Gorge, a huge city to the north. Fiskar produced an ornate chess piece (the bishop) and gave it to Ell, explaining that he had pilfered it from the palace as parts of the city crumbled. They returned to their motel and went to their respective rooms to sleep.

Back at the academy, Dez and Carric began investigating. Carric interviewed the professor of magic during class, asking if he knew anything about the plague or whether there were any children in the academy he worried about. The professor said that a student of his had gone missing a few months before. Dez talked to a student in time out, Cedric. They discussed his favorite books, his love of fiddling with magic and with glyphs*, and his sister, who had gone missing a few months before. (This probably makes it look like I was railroading them into a storyline. I hope the players didn't take it that way. It just made sense to me that two people in the same small community would both mention something about a big, scary loss.) Together, Dez and Carric spoke with Headmistress Rootblancher - but not without being tricked by Cedric into thinking the Headmistress was a man, causing an awkward laugh from most involved. The Headmistress offered some information on the missing girl, Edwinna. Classes ended for the night, and Dez and Carric left the academy with Cedric to walk him home and gather more information.

*Glyphs are a system of casting magic that I created for my podcasted campaign. The basic idea is that the 200 or so symbols I developed each correspond to a small set of concepts, like "Air/Sky/Wind," "Strong/Powerful/Potent," or "Deception/Lying/Misinformation." Casting a spell involves combining these glyphs to create a customized spell. The difficulty is that the magical energy is less tamed than with traditional casting, so a spell can be "misunderstood," so to speak; the glyphs may not combine in the way the caster thinks, and the results can be disastrous. All this is to say that a seven-year-old boy is not exactly the best candidate for fiddling with this chaotic, unpredictable magic.

A brief illustration of glyph-based casting. 

In Ell's motel room, there was a knock on the door. It was Tenk, who made an offer of employment. He also mentioned that Carric and Dez had visited the academy, though he didn't say how or why he knew. Once Tenk left, Ell went across the hall and knocked on Fiskar's door. Ell asked what Fiskar knew about Tenk, especially whether Fiskar thought it would be a good idea to accept the offer. Fiskar went back to bed, and Ell decided to check on Carric and Dez since Tenk had seemed to think it would benefit her to know about it.

Gerald's player arrived, and he took Gerald right back to The Bleeding Crown for more drinks. He struck up a conversation with the bartender, an orc named Brom. Brom offered advice on making friends, and Gerald tried making friends with the gnome sitting next to him, Spindle. The attempt did not go well, as Gerald scared and frequently insulted Spindle. After talking more about friends, Gerald decided to go try to find Carric, Dez, or Ell.

At a street corner in the northwest corner of the city, Carric, Dez, Cedric, Ell, and Gerald converged. (I will totally admit that this was some lazy railroading. The party was cool with it, though, and they went forward without questioning it.) Updates were exchanged on what had happened since they'd last met, and before too long, Cedric began talking about seeing the dead. Ghosts floated out of the darkness from all around them. They fought the ghosts and kept Cedric protected, destroying the majority of the ghosts and capturing two of them with a magical barrier. They questioned the ghosts a bit before leaving to take Cedric home.

As I said before, I'm happy with this session. I have begun to lay out multiple options for the players to consider, and I've been able to start adding more information and more depth to the areas that they'll already shown interest in. This has all been done on the fly. It becomes easier to be flexible when you haven't planned in advance, so the improvisation has really made it easy to focus on player interest. But how do you add NPCs to a game without coming up with a reason for them to be there? I want to share my process for developing NPCs (or rather, that process in part - I want to dedicate a full post, coming soon, to the information I focus on when developing a character) and getting them into an improvised campaign.

My NPC creation process usually starts with me reading something or hearing a song that seems to crystallize a thought or feeling perfectly. I choose the song as a character theme and then start building a character who is the best approximation of what someone would be like if ruled by the thought or feeling. Details get added (again, more details on this process in a future post), and the character takes shape. Adding them to the campaign requires a little patience.

I'll use as an example here an NPC who has not yet been introduced to the players. The NPC's name is Erys Wynne, and Erys is a talented, self-sufficient treasure hunter. She's cautious - she has a half dozen aliases to keep people from targeting her, for instance. She's smart - her companion is a robotic homunculus she built herself, and she's a fairly expert wizard. She's daring - she's raided some of the most dangerous tombs and best hundreds of foes (even though she never kills those who she fights). Erys is a fun character I salvaged from a campaign that never quite made it past the third session or so. As much as I want her in the mix right now, there's no reason that she would want to contact anyone in the party, nor would she be involved with any of the events that the group has gotten up to. So there are now options available for introducing Erys: one, the group's adventures lead them into something involving treasure hunting, or two, another NPC wants to introduce the group to her. I figure that option one is great if it comes up, but I doubt it will. Even if it did happen, I'd be spoiling the group's attempt to actually raid a tomb and get rewarded for it by including an expert who would either help or thwart them. Option two is the better hope.

A character design fairly similar to Erys. 

When you want to introduce an NPC, I stand by the "I know a person" method. When a player discusses what goals they have with an NPC, figure out if its possible that this NPC they're speaking to knows the NPC you want to bring into the campaign. If the answer is no, that's fine. You want it to make sense that the NPCs know each other. There will be other chances later. But your NPC might come up in conversation as the skilled person who may be useful or as the person who was in the right place at the right time and knows something important. This is exciting to the players - they have a potential lead on an issue they're paying attention to. The NPC you're introducing will have their full attention. Give the new character a bit of an intro (theatrical intros can be a lot of fun), and make sure there are allusions to how this NPC is special, but don't throw in much backstory. People don't meet each other and start swapping life stories in detail right away, and your NPC probably shouldn't either. By offering some tantalizing and incomplete information, you'll pique your players' interests and leave them curious about the NPC.

Remember that you have some leeway when it comes to adding your NPCs. For Erys, I like the idea of a bounty hunter knowing her because of occasional professional overlap, but Erys could just as easily be referred if the players need an obscure academic or magical text to be identified, if they need a guide into dangerous ruins, or if they need to know about secret passages somewhere. Erys is also a musician (a drummer and vocalist), so they could also encounter her at a tavern where she would be performing. When you enter a situation where the NPC could be, it's easy to drop them in and see if they take. If the players don't quite take to the NPC, let them leave that character alone for now and see if a future appearance has better luck. If the players never seem interested in an NPC, don't be afraid to discard them. There may be a better place for them in a future campaign, and forcing them on players doesn't make for a great experience for the players.

That's all for this time. Look out for more about NPC development and document creation in future posts, as well as updates on the third session when that finally happens (five young adult schedules are quite a scheduling obstacle to contend with). Until then, happy gaming!

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