Novice DM here. I'm starting two new campaigns with people who've never played before, and I'd like to bring some tongue in cheek/Pratchett-esque elements to the table to ease them in, as it'll be everybody's first time with a pen and paper fantasy RPG. One of the ideas I've been playing around with is referencing familiar characters in unfamiliar forms and circumstances, as little easter eggs for my players to interact with.
For example, I'm going to be running Curse Of Strahd for one group, and since we're all horror nerds I'm introducing a herald character called Tam Caplowe (visually based around Tim Capello, the saxophonist from the 80s vampire classic The Lost Boys). He's essentially an undead bard who will appear to play his mournful horn whenever the Count approaches (or may be nearby).
In the other game, I'm working on an information broker in town loosely based on Gretchen Wiener from Mean Girls ("Her hair's so big because it's full of secrets!"), likely called something like Gertrude Sausage.
Anyone got experience of running NPCs like this, and got advice? Anyone seeing pros and cons to this approach?
I've done some similar stuff before and it can be fun, a lot of fun, but you do have to watch out for it derailing things slightly.
A big part of that fun is having memorable, recurring characters - it brings the world alive. Having those characters be pop culture references serves to draw attention to them and make them memorable in a much easier way than just hoping your players take to the characters you've created.
As an example, the count arriving should be a big deal, potentially a situation where the player characters are afraid for their lives, but having the sax player adding humour to the situation could really undermine the gravity of the scene.
That's very much on you to balance and portray the scene, but be aware of the potential conflict.
Overall - go ahead and do it, but don't over-do it and tone it down for major dramatic plot scenes. :)
This is so brilliant. I am 100% stealing this idea.
A few additional ideas:
Dwayne Schirt (Dwight Schrute, The Office US) - the assistant to the mayor, town regent, etc. who is a rule-monger, general fun-sucker, ruins the party's fun.
Alvin Stumblemore (Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter) - a wizard who your party needs to find and seek advice/extract knowledge from, but he is never where he is supposed to be until right before they need him.
I've really only done like comedic ones. for example the blacksmith is just hank hill from king of the hill. when my party enters the workshop i'll have him say silly lines like " that bow ain't right" and " i sell adventuring gear and accessories" and when i do the voice my players just howl with laughter. especially when they try to egg on a longer conversation with him. just do stuff you know your players will like i could be something pivotal or something small but as long as you make it fun i'm sure people will like the things you make
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Hi all,
Novice DM here. I'm starting two new campaigns with people who've never played before, and I'd like to bring some tongue in cheek/Pratchett-esque elements to the table to ease them in, as it'll be everybody's first time with a pen and paper fantasy RPG. One of the ideas I've been playing around with is referencing familiar characters in unfamiliar forms and circumstances, as little easter eggs for my players to interact with.
For example, I'm going to be running Curse Of Strahd for one group, and since we're all horror nerds I'm introducing a herald character called Tam Caplowe (visually based around Tim Capello, the saxophonist from the 80s vampire classic The Lost Boys). He's essentially an undead bard who will appear to play his mournful horn whenever the Count approaches (or may be nearby).
In the other game, I'm working on an information broker in town loosely based on Gretchen Wiener from Mean Girls ("Her hair's so big because it's full of secrets!"), likely called something like Gertrude Sausage.
Anyone got experience of running NPCs like this, and got advice? Anyone seeing pros and cons to this approach?
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D&D Beyond FoundersI've done some similar stuff before and it can be fun, a lot of fun, but you do have to watch out for it derailing things slightly.
A big part of that fun is having memorable, recurring characters - it brings the world alive. Having those characters be pop culture references serves to draw attention to them and make them memorable in a much easier way than just hoping your players take to the characters you've created.
As an example, the count arriving should be a big deal, potentially a situation where the player characters are afraid for their lives, but having the sax player adding humour to the situation could really undermine the gravity of the scene.
That's very much on you to balance and portray the scene, but be aware of the potential conflict.
Overall - go ahead and do it, but don't over-do it and tone it down for major dramatic plot scenes. :)
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Excellent point, thanks. I might shift him into another role to avoid puncturing the tension.
This is so brilliant. I am 100% stealing this idea.
A few additional ideas:
Dwayne Schirt (Dwight Schrute, The Office US) - the assistant to the mayor, town regent, etc. who is a rule-monger, general fun-sucker, ruins the party's fun.
Alvin Stumblemore (Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter) - a wizard who your party needs to find and seek advice/extract knowledge from, but he is never where he is supposed to be until right before they need him.
Happy adventuring!
I've really only done like comedic ones. for example the blacksmith is just hank hill from king of the hill. when my party enters the workshop i'll have him say silly lines like " that bow ain't right" and " i sell adventuring gear and accessories" and when i do the voice my players just howl with laughter. especially when they try to egg on a longer conversation with him. just do stuff you know your players will like i could be something pivotal or something small but as long as you make it fun i'm sure people will like the things you make