I unfortunately don't have a group to play with:( But I have created 12 different level 1 characters in case I found a group. Anyhow, a couple years ago I was going to be a Gamemaster for D&D at my local library. But, no one signed up to play. As part of that campaign I had a "Traveling Caravan" it had 3 NPCs, 1 was an elderly Elven Woman who was a Druid & Fortuneteller who also made magical Moonshine. She is inspired mostly by "Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies"as well as the song "Dem Old Bones by Dolly Parton", 1 of the others is her Granddaughter who is a Ranger who also did home medicine type stuff. She is inspired mostly by Ellie May from "Beverly Hillbillies" combined with "Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer". As for the 3rd person he is the granddaughters husband as well as an Oath of Redemption Paladin, mostly inspired by "Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer" combined with Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean". Anyway, they would travel around trading with the party as well as other people.
@@DDHomebrew Yep, including countless other old shows. Think of a Town Sheriff inspired by Andy Griffith or a town guard inspired by "Lurch from the Addams Family".
For me it is literary characters that inspire NPCs, from Clavell's Taipan and Noble House I created my own Merchant Princes and their families as well as trade empires. Now using these to recast Veiled Society into a more layered plot of merchant schemes that offset the nobility and church and are the mostly "neutral" "villains" as they have goals that may or may not align with adventurers just like in the module but from low level to domain level. Same "NPC" cast also could be used in a CoC setting or sci-fi or as I began it for a Top Secret/007 setting. My preference is NPCs who can be anything as the PCs interact with them, creating the relationships through actions.
I have used a similar set up in my world with "clans" based on the Japanese fuedal system to create the power centers of my current world. Concepts like that, based on literature, allow you to just fill in the appropriate major players
List of N/pcs from fiction that end up in most of my past gaming group campaign settings. 1.) Dune, 1980's movie and 2000's Sci-Fi channel tv mini series. a.) Baron Harkon, for the actor's over the top Boombastic ham acting. Do to his " lusty " personality fits prefect as a vampire lord that is ..thirsty. b.) Paul's little sister, " Are you afraid ?" .. deep demonic voice .. "You Should BE ! " 2.) The Joker, in whatever his form, .. we ran a Star Wars campaign of Vader making an .. example .. out of a random lab tech which trigger the victim's force abilities. Vader's brutal attempt to instill Order & Fear created his own Chaos counterpart. Absurd manic laughter of chaos & terror. Darkside force ability Fear which when failed gives target Pc & N/pcs ability/save penalties turns into Manic Laughter. Lovecraft theme dark metal, " I seen the Light, I know the Truth." Life is one big bloody joke of despair, suffering, and death. So, laugh and cry with me. The Joker is a chemist that creates lethal laughing gas, so a bard or a wizard/rogue alchemist. b.) The Riddler, mastermind that leaves clues to challenge his target victim mental reasoning abilities. 3.) Marvel Kingpin character or Lex Luther as a baron, trade merchant power behind politics. 4.) movie " Knight's Tale," the noble jousting rival, just not so much a douse. 5.) Peter Parker/Spider Man & Jimmy Olson both are high school & college sport photographer reporters. During the US Civil War both sides employed newspaper quickdraw sketch artists to record events on the battle fields, now days they were or are courtroom sketch artist because cameras were not permitted in court. Something about old style camera require a " flash" which was a distraction. 6.) Old western series, Wells Fargo. Mail, insurance banking, investigator. " the King's Mail " service.
@@DDHomebrew I could be wrong - I’ve seen a lot of videos - if it wasn’t you, I do apologize - if it wasn’t but you’ve seen something similar, I’d settle for that too 😄
One can never watch too many NPC videos 👍
Glad you like them!
I unfortunately don't have a group to play with:(
But I have created 12 different level 1 characters in case I found a group.
Anyhow, a couple years ago I was going to be a Gamemaster for D&D at my local library. But, no one signed up to play. As part of that campaign I had a "Traveling Caravan" it had 3 NPCs, 1 was an elderly Elven Woman who was a Druid & Fortuneteller who also made magical Moonshine. She is inspired mostly by "Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies"as well as the song "Dem Old Bones by Dolly Parton", 1 of the others is her Granddaughter who is a Ranger who also did home medicine type stuff. She is inspired mostly by Ellie May from "Beverly Hillbillies" combined with "Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer". As for the 3rd person he is the granddaughters husband as well as an Oath of Redemption Paladin, mostly inspired by "Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer" combined with Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean". Anyway, they would travel around trading with the party as well as other people.
I hadn't thought of the Beverly Hillbillies! There are so many sources for NPCs.
@@DDHomebrew Yep, including countless other old shows. Think of a Town Sheriff inspired by Andy Griffith or a town guard inspired by "Lurch from the Addams Family".
Kids on Bikes has a mechanic where the players share control of a powered NPC, basically like Eleven. It's a core part of the rules.
That creates that unpredictability factor.
Yes I’ve used thanos as a guide for a BBEG in my campaign
I thought about mentioning him. He's a classic!
For me it is literary characters that inspire NPCs, from Clavell's Taipan and Noble House I created my own Merchant Princes and their families as well as trade empires. Now using these to recast Veiled Society into a more layered plot of merchant schemes that offset the nobility and church and are the mostly "neutral" "villains" as they have goals that may or may not align with adventurers just like in the module but from low level to domain level.
Same "NPC" cast also could be used in a CoC setting or sci-fi or as I began it for a Top Secret/007 setting. My preference is NPCs who can be anything as the PCs interact with them, creating the relationships through actions.
I have used a similar set up in my world with "clans" based on the Japanese fuedal system to create the power centers of my current world. Concepts like that, based on literature, allow you to just fill in the appropriate major players
List of N/pcs from fiction that end up in most of my past gaming group campaign settings.
1.) Dune, 1980's movie and 2000's Sci-Fi channel tv mini series.
a.) Baron Harkon, for the actor's over the top Boombastic ham acting. Do to his " lusty " personality fits prefect as a vampire lord that is ..thirsty.
b.) Paul's little sister, " Are you afraid ?" .. deep demonic voice .. "You Should BE ! "
2.) The Joker, in whatever his form, .. we ran a Star Wars campaign of Vader making an .. example .. out of a random lab tech which trigger the victim's force abilities. Vader's brutal attempt to instill Order & Fear created his own Chaos counterpart. Absurd manic laughter of chaos & terror. Darkside force ability Fear which when failed gives target Pc & N/pcs ability/save penalties turns into Manic Laughter.
Lovecraft theme dark metal, " I seen the Light, I know the Truth."
Life is one big bloody joke of despair, suffering, and death. So, laugh and cry with me.
The Joker is a chemist that creates lethal laughing gas, so a bard or a wizard/rogue alchemist.
b.) The Riddler, mastermind that leaves clues to challenge his target victim mental reasoning abilities.
3.) Marvel Kingpin character or Lex Luther as a baron, trade merchant power behind politics.
4.) movie " Knight's Tale," the noble jousting rival, just not so much a douse.
5.) Peter Parker/Spider Man & Jimmy Olson both are high school & college sport photographer reporters. During the US Civil War both sides employed newspaper quickdraw sketch artists to record events on the battle fields, now days they were or are courtroom sketch artist because cameras were not permitted in court. Something about old style camera require a " flash" which was a distraction.
6.) Old western series, Wells Fargo. Mail, insurance banking, investigator. " the King's Mail " service.
Great ideas? 💡
I feel like Killmonger (from Black Pantehr 1) influenced many of the villains that came after (including a lot of my BBEGs)
Is Killmonger still a bad guy these days?
Well in the movies he's dead. Not sure about the comics, I feel like he did a anti hero at some point
@@shadomain7918 I didn't see the movie.
Hello 👋🏿 weird question: you had a video about reversing the player and DM roles - could you help me find it? 🙏🏿
It was about the players making a dungeon for you to traverse
Let me look back on them: I don't remember that exact topic but there have been a lot of videos! Any more hints on what I was talking about?
@@TwinSteel I'm wondering if you're thinking of someone else, but I will rack my brain!
@@DDHomebrew I could be wrong - I’ve seen a lot of videos - if it wasn’t you, I do apologize - if it wasn’t but you’ve seen something similar, I’d settle for that too 😄
@@TwinSteel Got it!
Young Joseph Williams Robert White Jeffrey
I know about the Young Joseph Williams books, but not the other names.