About Town Volume 1 A Collection of Interesting NPCs Sample file Anja Svare Introduction vital part of any D&D campaign is the believability Every effort has been taken to represent a generous cross-section and depth of the NPCs. Dull and flat characters only of life in a typical medieval town or city, but retaining that diminish the immersion of the players into the world Dungeons & Dragons twist. Using demographic data from the around them, but colorful, deep, and interesting Forgotten Realms, the preponderance of these NPCs are human, NPCs can bring almost any situation to life. This but just like in that world, all races are present, just in smaller collection aims to do just that, presenting 25 NPCs numbers. Afrom all facets of a medieval society. Everyone from Feel free to mix and match any of these characters, their actors to blacksmiths, ratcatchers to innkeepers. Each with connections, and even their hooks. Combine or swap ideas, personalities, motivations, connections, and hooks you can use backgrounds, or just about anything. Or just use them as for almost any urban setting, big or small. inspiration. Page Profession Connections Page Profession Connections 3 Abbess Almoner/Blacksmith/Friar 16 Fool Almoner/Linkboy 4 Actor Clothier/Singer 17 Friar Abbess/Almoner/Armorer 5 Alchemist Apothecary/Ratcatcher 18 Guardsman Apothecary/Beggar 6 Almoner Abbess/Friar/Fool 19 Innkeeper Fence/Prostitute 7 Apothecary Alchemist/Guardsman 20 Linkboy Clothier/Fool/Solicitor 8 Armorer Friar/Mercenary 21 Mercenary Armorer/Sailor 9 Beggar Guardsman/Ratcatcher 22 Prostitute Innkeeper/Saddler/Sailor 10 Blacksmith Abbess/Saddler 23 Ratcatcher Alchemist/Beggar 11 Cartwright Actor/Saddler/Singer 24 Saddler Blacksmith/Cartwright/Prostitute 12 Catchpole Constable/Singer 25 Sailor Innkeeper/Mercenary/Prostitute 13 Clothier Actor/Linkboy 26 Singer Actor/Catchpole 14 Constable Catchpole/All 27 Solicitor Fence/Linkboy 15 Fence Innkeeper/Solicitor Sample file About Town � volume 1 Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 2 Abbess Coryn Aztellor Coryn Aztellor is the abbess at one of the local temples. She has spent her whole life in the temple, having become an orphan as an infant and raised by the church since then. She has dedicated her life to the temple and its service. With narrow eyes the color of copper, along with her always immaculate vestments, Coryn cuts a commanding figure both within and outside the church. She is a strict taskmaster, and can frequently be seen berating other staff at the church for even the slightest mistake. Although she is slender of build, and barely over 5 feet tall, Coryn commands respect, and her stern bearing coupled with her unusual eyes that seem to see through you tend to give any naysayers pause. Coryn has shown exasperation with her staff about some of the work that the church does, especially in regards to helping the poor. She feels she has little time for them, believing that the path the church should take is aligned with wealthier adherents to the faith. In her mind, the poor and indigent are a drain on the church and impede what it could truly accomplish. LOCATIONS During the day Coryn can be found either at the church working on her administrative duties, or outside the grounds traveling to a local nobles' house to attend a meeting. Many times those meetings are in conjunction with Unzle Ankhalab the almoner, to pressure those more well off to make donations to the church. At night she studies in the church library for several hours before retiring to her simple cell on church grounds and meditating before going to sleep. CONNECTIONS Coryn has an antagonistic relationship with the blacksmith Luisa Pavel, as the abbess meets with her weekly to accept repayment for Luisa's brother's crimes, and has been pressuring Luisa to make larger payments. Coryn works closely with the almoner Unzle Ankhalab and Chen Shallowbrook, one of the friars at the temple. Both are a bit afraid of her, but Friar Chen has his suspicions about the abbess' true nature. SECRETS Coryn knows that Luisa's brother Orbold is innocent, but has not told anyone. She does not know who stole from the church, but is suspicious of Unzle Ankhalab. She keeps the pressure for repayments on Luisa as a cover to continue her own investigation. Coryn clearly has some unusual blood running in her veins. The most clearly obvious sign is her slender copper-colored eyes, but the small bony protrusions on her head belie that she has tiefling blood in her ancestry. Coryn keeps her head covered under her vestments at all times, so no one is aware of her true nature. She will do almost anything to keep this knowledge from people. HOOKS Coryn needs evidence of the crimes against the church that she believes Unzle Ankhalab committed. She wants to hire the PCs to investigateSample the matter and bring her the proof. file Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. About Town � volume 1 3 Actor Chernin Chalasstir Chernin Chalasstir, is the youngest son of Taleth Chalasstir, a prominent council member in the city. Although raised with every opportunity and luxury such a position provided, Chernin decided to forgo those trappings and stake his claim in the world of the theater. Much to the dismay of his family, he has actually made quite a career of it, acting in many plays and dramas about town and occasionally traveling with a troupe of performers. His low gruff voice has been in some demand for villains and the like in productions around the city, earning him numerous accolades. Certain aspects of his home life have not been forgotten though, and Chernin can usually be found at one of the finer eating establishments in town, enjoying the best food he can afford. In fact, over the years he has decided that his acting is secondary to his pursuit of a good meal, and now basically takes on any role to pay for his voracious appetite. Although Chernin is involved with various productions and troupes about town, he has become somewhat limited in the roles he has taken as he refuses to work with anyone of elvish descent. He has been seen to visibly shudder and move to another table when anyone with even the slightest hint of elven ancestry enters a room, and several diners where he has eaten have overheard him making derogatory and offensive comments about elves. Chernin is a pleasant and affable man, who always invites anyone who wishes to talk with him to sit and enjoy a meal with him, encouraging them to try a bit of everything he has ordered. He will patiently listen to and answer any questions about the acting scene about town, but can be a bit immodest about his own talents. Any Charisma (Persuasion) check done while talking to Chernin will have advantage if his acting prowess is mentioned. LOCATIONS As most of his performances are at night, Chernin sleeps most days in his small apartment in the theater district. Most evenings he can be found either performing on stage or eating at one of the better eateries in the city, and once a week gets a delivery of new theater outfits from Ophara Brwynella at his small apartment in the theater district. CONNECTIONS Chernin is good friends with the clothier Ophara Brwynella, who makes all of his outfits for the stage. Chernin knows the singer Bardryn Runesplitter, having performed with her in several productions over the years. He is not particularly fond of her, finding her abrasive and uncouth, but he respects her talent. SECRETS Chernin once killed a half-elven woman who had made advances on him, and is always frightened someone will find out. HOOKS While the PCs are at a performance, Chernin has killed another elf. The body is discovered backstage, and Chernin is nowhere to Samplebe found. The party is called uponfile to investigate the murder. About Town � volume 1 Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 4 Alchemist Shuf Natali Shuf Natali recently set up a small tidy alchemy shop in a nice district of the city, creating various elixirs for discerning clients. Several years ago his wife and children died during a plague that swept through their city. Heartbroken, Shuf decided to leave and move here, trying to start a new life. He is looking to start a new family, as he adores children and wishes to have more. He mistakenly takes any positive interaction from a female as an amorous advance, and will be horribly embarrassed when rebuffed. Normally he is a happy person, but the tragic events of the past led him to drink, and he can get quite morose and despondent when drinking. Slow and quiet of speech, his foreign accent is still quite heavy. Most of his clients are looking for simple things, like perfumes, soaps, and the like. Once in awhile someone asks him to make a potion that may help increase their chances with the object of their affections. He has also helped a few unlucky souls by creating antidotes to some poisons. LOCATIONS During the day Shuf can be found in his shop, puttering around with various equipment, measuring and testing new mixtures. In the evenings he can be found at almost any place alcohol is served. Shuf isn't particular about what he drinks, he just wants to forget his past. At night he retires to his small apartment behind his shop. CONNECTIONS Shuf frequently buys live rats from the ratcatcher Grigor Handar, paying a bit extra for each one that makes it to his shop alive.