I've just started running the Dragon of Icespire Peak, and I've realised one of my players (A human Light Cleric) is taking a perticular interest in any NPCs around her; are they hurt? traumatised? Can she help them in any way?
I was, admittedly, more focused on the story and combat elements of the campaign, and I'm at a bit of a loss on how to incorperate this interest into the gameplay. Any tips wold be useful!
Also maybe a love interest? She helps heal a PC of whatever sex/race is the one she's attracted to (you may have to do some clever subtle RP to figure this out, or maybe it's obvious) and the person develops a crush on his/her "savior." Maybe the character starts following her around trying to romance her, or pay her back by "helping" her (the way Lois Lane tries to "help" Superman and ends up in hot water most of the time, for instance). In other words, have the NPCs take an interest back. You don't have to do this with all of them. One or two is enough.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Also maybe a love interest? She helps heal a PC of whatever sex/race is the one she's attracted to (you may have to do some clever subtle RP to figure this out, or maybe it's obvious) and the person develops a crush on his/her "savior." Maybe the character starts following her around trying to romance her, or pay her back by "helping" her (the way Lois Lane tries to "help" Superman and ends up in hot water most of the time, for instance). In other words, have the NPCs take an interest back. You don't have to do this with all of them. One or two is enough.
Romance is good suggestion but probably as a build up rather than jump stalker =)
But yes, keep a list of names handy. An NPC with a name is tremendously better than a grey no-name body. RP out an encounter or two. Somebody has a cut they got while chopping wood, a girl has a bloody knee from falling down, an old man got a black eye and "leave me alone you wierdo!".
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
BioWizard is right that Role Play is definitely the key here.
Most of the time. I don't think it needs to be as elaborate as a love interest of even a star- struck hero worshipping follower. Although both of those can be fun in the right circumstances. In many cases, however, this may be a town your party is just passing through and where they don't plan or are unlikely to ever return. For those circumstances, all you need is to add a touch of flavor -- something that makes the connection between the PCs and one or more NPCs more tangible.
For example, a suspicious young woman who looks at her would be savior with a comment of "You're a soldier [adventurer, mage, etc.] My mother warned me what soldiers are like." Another one I have used is to have the party return to town after clearing out a nearby threat (in my case an encampment of lizardfolk bent on conquest). They notice that the board in the local tavern that used to display drink prices, now lists their names or descriptions with odds on who would survive or who killed the BBEG. Or, there is the young child with a handful of wilted dandelions who shyly presents them with a whispered. "Thank you for saving my daddy." before running away to hide.
In a more frequented or familiar setting you can add even more. Dose your party have a home base? They enter a tavern and overhear a badly written ballad detailing their exploits. (Perhaps including things they have never done.) Children in the town square argue over who get to be the Paladin [or other party member] this time. The local black smith or other bravado challenges one of them to try to impress someone nearby. A street performer boasts of being as "the next [Insert PC name here]"
The possibilities are endless. The main thing is to give little hints that make the NPCs more rounded and real for this player. I'm sure anything you do will be appreciated.
Pick a quirk about each NPC and build around that. Make a note next to each NPC in the text and give them something from you that brings them to life. Even having one thing unique about them will help you jump in with both feet when your PCs try to engage. And if they don’t engage(as they often don’t), save that trait for a future contact. Keep a list handy, and when your extrovert PC says “Is there anyone in the room who looks like they just arrived in town?”, you can be like “Yeah, there’s a lady alone at a table with two full mugs in front of her” (because her quirk is she travels to a distant town every year to drink at her dead father’s favorite tavern on the anniversary of his death. The full mug is for his spot at the table.) You can use this NPC to relay the information they need for their quest. “The roads on the way in? Why, yes, actually. I did see something strange...”. You need not answer more than they ask for, but if they ask about the second mug, you have a deep answer to give. Other quirks or traits to seed your list might be:
Stinks of cat
wears very nice clothes, but a very old, ratty cloak
is a vegan
collects spoons stolen from every inn they’ve stayed at
wants to be a sailor, but never been on a boat
Gives everyone a nickname at first meeting
can identify the species of wood that any wooden object is made of because he was raised in a woodcarver’s home
is afraid of the dark
has an irrational hatred of some mundane thing like silk or the smell of lilac, or floor rugs
always sits closest to the fire because they are the sort that are always cold.
Superstitious about almost anything
You can tack any of those things onto a pre-written NPC to give them more personality, or you can birth NPCs on the fly by hanging one of these onto a generic human, or elf, or whatever. Then keep adding to your list of quirks. Things that have been added to my list since i started people watching to give depth to my NPCs is like when I was checked out at the grocery store by a clerk who adds a kind of nervous chuckle that sounds like “huh” to the end of dang near every sentence. “Did you want your milk in a bag, ‘hnh’?” “You can enter your pin now, ‘hnh.’” The nervous chuckle went on my list. Other people like to stretch all the time, even public. That went on my list.
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Hi guys!
I've just started running the Dragon of Icespire Peak, and I've realised one of my players (A human Light Cleric) is taking a perticular interest in any NPCs around her; are they hurt? traumatised? Can she help them in any way?
I was, admittedly, more focused on the story and combat elements of the campaign, and I'm at a bit of a loss on how to incorperate this interest into the gameplay. Any tips wold be useful!
RP the NPCs with her. The player will like that.
Also maybe a love interest? She helps heal a PC of whatever sex/race is the one she's attracted to (you may have to do some clever subtle RP to figure this out, or maybe it's obvious) and the person develops a crush on his/her "savior." Maybe the character starts following her around trying to romance her, or pay her back by "helping" her (the way Lois Lane tries to "help" Superman and ends up in hot water most of the time, for instance). In other words, have the NPCs take an interest back. You don't have to do this with all of them. One or two is enough.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Romance is good suggestion but probably as a build up rather than jump stalker =)
But yes, keep a list of names handy. An NPC with a name is tremendously better than a grey no-name body. RP out an encounter or two. Somebody has a cut they got while chopping wood, a girl has a bloody knee from falling down, an old man got a black eye and "leave me alone you wierdo!".
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
BioWizard is right that Role Play is definitely the key here.
Most of the time. I don't think it needs to be as elaborate as a love interest of even a star- struck hero worshipping follower. Although both of those can be fun in the right circumstances.
In many cases, however, this may be a town your party is just passing through and where they don't plan or are unlikely to ever return. For those circumstances, all you need is to add a touch of flavor -- something that makes the connection between the PCs and one or more NPCs more tangible.
For example, a suspicious young woman who looks at her would be savior with a comment of "You're a soldier [adventurer, mage, etc.] My mother warned me what soldiers are like."
Another one I have used is to have the party return to town after clearing out a nearby threat (in my case an encampment of lizardfolk bent on conquest). They notice that the board in the local tavern that used to display drink prices, now lists their names or descriptions with odds on who would survive or who killed the BBEG.
Or, there is the young child with a handful of wilted dandelions who shyly presents them with a whispered. "Thank you for saving my daddy." before running away to hide.
In a more frequented or familiar setting you can add even more. Dose your party have a home base?
They enter a tavern and overhear a badly written ballad detailing their exploits. (Perhaps including things they have never done.)
Children in the town square argue over who get to be the Paladin [or other party member] this time.
The local black smith or other bravado challenges one of them to try to impress someone nearby.
A street performer boasts of being as "the next [Insert PC name here]"
The possibilities are endless. The main thing is to give little hints that make the NPCs more rounded and real for this player. I'm sure anything you do will be appreciated.
Pick a quirk about each NPC and build around that. Make a note next to each NPC in the text and give them something from you that brings them to life. Even having one thing unique about them will help you jump in with both feet when your PCs try to engage. And if they don’t engage(as they often don’t), save that trait for a future contact. Keep a list handy, and when your extrovert PC says “Is there anyone in the room who looks like they just arrived in town?”, you can be like “Yeah, there’s a lady alone at a table with two full mugs in front of her” (because her quirk is she travels to a distant town every year to drink at her dead father’s favorite tavern on the anniversary of his death. The full mug is for his spot at the table.) You can use this NPC to relay the information they need for their quest. “The roads on the way in? Why, yes, actually. I did see something strange...”. You need not answer more than they ask for, but if they ask about the second mug, you have a deep answer to give. Other quirks or traits to seed your list might be:
You can tack any of those things onto a pre-written NPC to give them more personality, or you can birth NPCs on the fly by hanging one of these onto a generic human, or elf, or whatever. Then keep adding to your list of quirks. Things that have been added to my list since i started people watching to give depth to my NPCs is like when I was checked out at the grocery store by a clerk who adds a kind of nervous chuckle that sounds like “huh” to the end of dang near every sentence. “Did you want your milk in a bag, ‘hnh’?” “You can enter your pin now, ‘hnh.’” The nervous chuckle went on my list. Other people like to stretch all the time, even public. That went on my list.