As a DM, you are constantly expected to come up with a zillion characters to populate your world From key NPCs like villains or local authorities to minor characters who may only pop up once like, the other patrons in a tavern Not only that, but often times your players expect all of these characters to feel like complete, real people with backstories and motivations And while it can be relatively easy to improvise 2 or 3 NPCs off the cuff Over time, I've found that it can be hard to continue to introduce new characters every session that feel substantial and unique from each other So today, I wanted to ease that burden on you just a little by giving you a few NPCs that you can steal for your own campaign Each one has a name, a look, a voice, a personality, and an optional quest hook These are just a starting point You are more than welcome to change anything about these characters to better suit your campaign and your plot line But hopefully these can be an easy way to bring some fresh new NPCs into your campaign without so much work Now, I guess, I'll introduce them! The party encounters Cover Witthorn the Halfling Bard in a tavern where she is determinedly and unsubtly getting extremely drunk CLOVER: Good sir! I'll take another round I've tried But I have not yet drowned GINNY: Upon speaking with her they will learn that she is trying to drink away her anxiety over the following morning Upon which she is expected to duel the Lady Annaliese Rodolfo A noblewoman renowned for her skill with a blade CLOVER: Tomorrow I shall surely die We've lately met, but you will cry You're lucky to have met me here My words will gild no further ears GINNY: Clover has been attempting to win the heart of Duke Silvus’s handsome son, Kellen Unfortunately, Kellen is already betrothed to Lady Rodolfo who was offended by Clover’s brazen overtures [Clover crying] Clover is loud and braggadocious But when the chips are down she's a coward and is willing to throw nearly anyone under the bus to save her own skin including the party, if they offer to help her She speaks in dramatic rhyme, but when she's truly scared she drops the pretense CLOVER: Whoa! Don't point that thing at me! You know, I didn't do it, the bartender probably did and he was seeming so suspicious looking GINNY: Clover will confess to the party that she's considering just stealing away in the night ditching the duel, and finding a new town where she can make a new name for herself Perhaps the party will decide to help her escape or, convince her to stay or offer to help her with the duel somehow or maybe something else Whether or not they decide to interfere, it's up to you what happens to her the next day Perhaps the party will hear about it later Francis Summerpike is a mapmaker like her father before her, and his father before him Unfortunately, drawing maps by hand has started to take a toll on her body FRANCIS: Phew, I'm lucky if I can make a map a month these days which isn't nearly enough to meet demand If only there were a better way! An easier way to make maps! GINNY: Very subtle Francis Okay fine, this is a sponsorship segment, you caught me Dungeon Fog is a mapmaking tool for RPGs It scales beautifully between quick and easy, and fully customizable so that you can make a gorgeous map no matter how much time you have or how picky you want to be There is even a public map library so you can use and even edit maps created by other users FRANCIS: Wow! Every item can be rotated, scaled, and recolored You can even build in levels, like the upper floors of a building or tunnels and dungeons beneath the grounds Plus they can be exported for print, or used online Yeah, my favorite part is actually the dynamic light sources which can quickly change the mood of a map and really make them look dramatic and immersive FRANCIS: Wow! This is amazing! Oh my God, I'm out of a job, aren't I? GINNY: Sorry Francis You can get a free account to try out Dungeon Fog And if you want more, you can subscribe to become a premium member This gets you unlimited maps, and access to over 4,500 assets and that number continues to grow with new, monthly, asset packs Use the link in the description to sign up If you stop in at The Spinner’s Rest for a bite or a bed you'll surely be greeted by Tilly a shy, soften-spoken barmaid who’s always nearby when you need a refill and will placidly listen to tales of your adventures if you wish to share them Today we’ve a hearty soup with vegetables I pulled myself from the garden just this morning And the bread, of course, Aster bakes it Shall I bring a round of ale for the table? GINNY: If the party looks closely, they might notice that Tilly has dark circles under her eyes and sports a few bruises She'll also let them know that unfortunately the stables are being repaired and can't be used right now TILLY: My apologies for the inconvenience You're welcome to hitch your mounts around the back though there’s a bit of an eave to protect them from the weather GINNY: It’s the strangest thing, from the outside, at least, the stable looks fine although the windows are thick with cobwebs In the middle of the night, the party might wake to the sound of a stifled, inhuman shriek If they enter the stables, they’ll find an Ettercap gaunt and sickly pale, straining against chains with limbs rubbed raw and blistered TILLY: You just don’t understand, he’s not the others of his kind I’ve raised him, since he was just a wee thing Sure, he hurts me sometimes, but he doesn’t mean to There’s good in him, and when I find it, I can let him out GINNY: Who knows what your party will make of Tilly's secret But she’ll do whatever she can to keep it from getting out And if you challenge her, she has an Ettercap on her side Or at least, she thinks she does The party may have the opportunity to meet Princess Valra the Sibylline while visiting the palace She floats around in delicate, expensive clothing gazing through everyone and everything around her VALRA: You people are so tethered to the physical to the present You should be grateful The things I see in my dreams are not always beautiful Knowing what darkness will come to pass is an inheritance, and a curse GINNY: Valra's mother, the Queen, developed the second sight at a very young age Throughout her years on the throne, her gift has helped the kingdom avoid war and disaster countless times The princess is expected to follow in her footsteps There is just one problem Valra doesn't have the sight VALRA: You don’t understand! Everyone was just watching me, waiting for it When I was fifteen I just lied and said I’d had a vision, just to get some peace! But they were all so relieved, I couldn’t bring myself to tell them it wasn't true Now it's been year, and I just know someone will find out There have already been several close calls You must help me! GINNY: It doesn't take much for Valra to trust the party with her secret She's at the end of her rope VALRA: Perhaps I was cursed, some dark power, locking my natural gift away where I cannot reach it If you could lift this curse Or I would even settle for some other means of viewing the future An enchanted crystal or some such like in the stories GINNY: She has plenty of gold and plenty of power with which to negotiate If only the party can help her keep her secret Oh, and help her protect the kingdom, that too VALRA: Thank you, I would clasp your hand, but you apear soiled by your travels, and these are imported silks GINNY: I hope these characters can be an interesting addition to your games If you would like to see more videos like this Please let me know, both in the comments And with your algorithmic contributions such as likes, views and shares You know, robot currency By the way, there is just one week left to submit your application for the $10,000 creator’s grant that Patreon is letting me give out There are only a few dozen submissions so far So I cannot emphasize enough just how possible it is that you, watching this now, could win it I will link to more information in the description
