Who are the BGC's ( NPC's) of your world and what makes your players love or hate them?

1QD

Game Creator Extraordinaire
As we all know the BGC, (Back ground character, also known as an NPC), in your world add flavour, voice and realistic engagement to your world as a whole. After all, who would you save if no one lived in the village, or no one posted a reward? Who would run the world around you without the BGC?

Now out of the countless numbers of BGC's that have come and gone, who has really stuck out in the eyes of you or your players? What made them special?

In Titania, many centuries ago were the coffe guys. Two, BGC's that travelled the world, no special powers, just a love of coffee and good company. They collected stories, rumours and had a way of showing up when players needed it most, only to continue on their way after sharing a cup of the hawt brown mornin potion.

Villains too can be part of this list, though in Titania they have a habit of getting caught on the wrong side of an adventurers weapon.

Has anyone ever asked to roll up your BGC, invited them to become a party member?
 

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I think fetch has a better chance of catching on then BGC, but I have had plenty of memorable NPCs.

In Traveller Pirates of Drinax campaign, I mad Margret "Mad Mags" Blaine a semi-retired pirate as sort of mentor to the Travellers. She was a wealth of info that they would listen intently to. The NPC never told them what to do but sort of suggested wise ways, and brash ways. She wasnt a fan of being brash. Could be something to that given she was able to kinda retire when so many of her peers did not.

In Pathfinder Classic, I ran the Carrion Crown AP. I did soem rework and the main antagonist was revealed very early, but as a seemingly allied figure. Turns out that was very wrong. The PCs were very happy to deal with that NPC after a logn series of cat and mouse games.

If an NPC appears to be important enough, I'll roll them up. Occasionally, the campaign needs a guide or potential replacement PCs because of narrative events. I've never been asked to roll up and hand over though. DMPCs is a concept that I do not believe in, but understand it works or is necessary for some folks.
 

I think fetch has a better chance of catching on then BGC, but I have had plenty of memorable NPCs.

Perhaps. I have spent a number of years in the movie industry and background is the name of all the no name actors who are basically moving props. So the term works well from my pov.
 

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