My campaigns feature a good number of NPCs. The genres and settings I like most just lend themselves to this. A Starfleet vessel can easily have 200+ NPCs onboard in addition to the PCs. A world of Superheroes often has other heroes, villains, scientists, reporters, cops, corporations, and all manner of other inhabitants.
So who are the favored NPCs in my campaigns? Well...
I am involved in multiple campaigns right now and I decided to ask my players who their favorite NPCs are. Unfortunately, there wasn't a consensus. Each player thought a different NPC was the best NPC. I should probably take that as a win.
Therefore, in the interest of being able to complete this entry, I'll cover a few of MY favorite NPCs over the years.
Cool? Cool.
Chloroplax, Sea Drake - The Rangers Guild of Corindel
Aerth / Chronicles of The Winghorn Guard
In his own words, "Chloroplax is this one - See, I am pointing at self. This one here to whom you are speaking in the now time. Is being a Sea Drake. Is like small dragon but is not dragon, is drake. The here now Chloroplax is friend to all Rangers who are friends to all Rangers at Corindel. Is to have understood word speech?"
Ahem...OK so, Chloroplax is a young adult Sea Drake, relatives (in some as yet unknown way) to the Blue Dragons that dwell across the Sea of Pacifica and the Northern and Southern Atlantean Seas. Chloroplax was found badly injured after defending an Aquatic Elf Enclave from invading Locathah. He was found by members of the Rangers Guild of Corindel, who went on to defeat the Locathah with his help. Following the battle, Chloroplax was taken back to the island nation of Corindel and healed of his wounds. Afterwards, Chloroplax would appear in the waters around the land now and again, following the ships of the Rangers Guild, greeting them and helping them when he could.
Some 10-15 years later, Chloroplax was declared a fully-fledged [honorary] member of the Corindel Rangers Guild. He is not just a mascot, joining the Rangers on major missions against pirate fleets, sea monsters, and even aiding The Order of The Winghorn Guard. Chloroplax's knowledge of the world below the surface of the sea has been incredibly useful. He is exceptionally clever, though his odd manner of speech can make it tricky for others to understand his plans.
Physically, Chloroplax is a six limbed draconic creature (two 'arms', two legs, and two wings) about the size of a pony or very large dog. He has clawed hands (complete with thumbs) and feet, as well as a long tail. While his wings enable him to fly, they are much more effective at propelling him through the water. He is assisted by webbed extremities and a finned tail. Chloroplax has both gills and terrestrial lungs and can easily breathe underwater or on the surface. His most impressive weapon is his breath, a powerful jet of water strong enough to knock over a full loaded wagon or rowboat. He can also alter the temperature of the 'water breath' to be scalding hot (just shy of boiling) or freezing cold (but not ice).
We've discussed Chloroplax's speech pattern but never broken it down in detail. When he was a wee beastie he learned Drake, which is essentially 'pidgin Draconic', but was later taught the language of the Atlanteans (the Sea Elves). Listening to surface dwelling fisherman, merchants, and sailors he taught himself the Common tongue. Unfortunately, the syntax and tense of Draconic dosen't easily map to Common, resulting in the strange version of the language that he now speaks.
"You are thanked for the reading of the writing of me, the Chloroplax, and the more of this post that there is being in the now. Please be faring well in not now going forward!"
FA1-T3 or 'FATS', Pilot Droid
Star Wars:
FA1-T3 is a modified piloting and astrogation droid purchased from Jawas on Tatooine by Ithorian Explorer [PC] Moga Wombi at some point during the Galactic Civil War. Originally intended to serve as a co-pilot to Wombi, the two traded positions after a year or so together so that the Explorer could focus on operating his scoutship's sensors. About two years later, the pair started working with Mandalorian Bounty Hunter [PC] Colo Nada, who took to calling the droid 'FATS'.
FATS' voice, personality, and mannerisms were based on a mixture of various real world Jazz and Blues musicans, most nobably Thomas Wright 'FATS' Waller. FA1-T3 had deep, smooth barotone voice and often spoke about love, the hardships of the working droid, and gave Colo Nada romantic advise. He was relatively calm under pressure and could be charming in conversation with both biologicals and droids.
In one adventure, FATS and Wombi tried desperately to land their vessel safely after the craft took considerable damage from attacks by Imperial ships. Unfortunately, the ship crashed on the ashen surface of the planet Gardine (GAR-deen), Wombi was killed, Colo Nada survived but was badly wounded. 'FATS' also received damage but 'awoke' believing itself to be Wombi. According to the droid, Wombi's spirit left his body and entered the robot upon his 'death' [Wombi's PC temporarily took over playing FATS). Nada humored him for a time as the two worked together to reach Mos Garda (also known as Garda City), capital city of Gardine. After a misunderstanding with some Grey Jawas, FATS was zapped by one of their Ionization Guns. A contact of Nada's was able to repair and reboot FATS, returning him to his original personality.
Not long after the two parted ways, with Colo returning home to Mandalore while FATS decided to remain on Gardine. He is last seen drinking some oil-like substance and toasting to the memory of his friend Moga Wombi. In a later campaign run a year or so later, the PCs enter 'The Gray Oasis', a cantina on Gardine, and run into non other than FA1-T3. Introducing himself as FATS, he claims to be a Pilot for Hire with competitive rates since he's a droid. Colo Nada's Player was there playing a new character but said he's heard of the droid and convinced the team to hire him.
All in all, FATS appeared in two campaigns, the first being about a dozen or so sessions and the second going for a little more than double that. One element of the robot I never got to reveal was that the Jawas who originally picked him up on Tatooine pulled him out of the wreckage of a starship. In other words, FATS had a history of crashes and surviving them.
Lieutenant T'Sora, Assistant Chief Science Officer
Star Trek: Prosperity
T'Sora appeared in the very first session of our Star Trek: Prosperity campaign. Later in that inaugural 'season' she is identified as the Assistant Chief Science Officer. She has appeared in nearly every session since. She is the person at the bridge science station when the PCs beam down to a planet and the one who takes over if [the PC] Commander Solok was injured.
Personality wise she is calm, cool, collected, and of course logical but also regularly delivers biting one-liners. T'Sora is sarcastic, even sardonic at times. She's been shown to be a flawed character; one who uses her biting wit to hide and control her emotions and the fact that her outlook on life is frought with cynicism. She went a bit too far one time, quipping on the hopelessness of a situation when the Captain was trying to maintain positive morale. She was reprimanded and demerits placed on her record.
Even so, she learned her lesson and tried to be more careful with her words and actions. Eventually, when Commander Solok departed the Prosperity to marry the ship's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Margaret 'Maggie' Hanover, it was assumed T'Sora would take over the position. Interestingly, T'Sora herself did not 'assume' anything and made a case for her promotion to Captain Fletcher and new First Officer Commander Bhoth. Instead, when the newly christened USS Persistance was launched, Captain Fletcher recommended her to that vessel's Captain and she accepted the position. Our former Communications Officer turned Security Chief is now our new Chief Science Officer, Lt. Commander Carr.
An unrevealed element of her character is that the man she was betrothed to was killed along with all hands aboard the USS Intrepid. While now free to marry someone else, she maintains the tradition of T' before her name in his memory.
AD
Barking Alien
BONUS FEATURE: Day 6 of the official RPGaDay 2024 Prompts:
Easy to use? I mean...hmm. Star Wars D6 is one of the easiest games to play and run that I can think of but that's not completely true. There are easier for sure. Faery's Tale Deluxe, Teenagers from Outer Space, and even ALIEN are really simple.
I'm not really sure where to go with this. Any game you get really good at by playing often over time is going to seem easy to you. My buddy William Corpening finds Champions easy. I find Star Trek Adventures easy, at least my houseruled version of it, though played raw I find it a little slower and harder to run smoothly.
Yeah. So...next?
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