An Unexpected Companion

[Mercule]

Recently, my players really surprised me. They are typically very outspoken about their dislike of long-term NPCs, especially included in the party. Last session, they unanimously decided to ask a priest NPC to accompany them on their next mission -- and the suggestion started with the most outspoken NPC-hater.

What makes this even more bizarre is that I use an alternate priestly class rather than the cleric. It is a spontaneous caster and does not automatically get to swap for healing. This particular character has no access to any healing spells. She has also taken Vow of Poverty and Vow of Non-Violence from BoED; carries no weapons, armor, or magic items; and is completely incapable of lifting a finger against any humanoid foe. The only thing she does well is blow the snot out of undead -- and they party was pretty certain this adventure would involve no undead.

Anyway, I'm completely befuddled by the party's decision here, and found it worth remarking on. I'm sure I'm not the first person to be surprised by which NPCs the PCs took a shine to. So, let's hear your stories.

 

[fafhrd]

Freaking Erky Timbers. The party met him in the second session I ever DMed and now he's a permanent party member. I dislike gnomes and due to character traits I gave him in their first encounter, this one is particularly over the top. High pitched voice, bizarre food interests, the lot. I don't know how many times I've given the party and out so the guy could take off and I could get some peace, but they go to great lengths to protect and help him. They ask him for spiritual advice and "What would Garl do" for heaven's sake! BLARGH!

Next campaign I run, I'm axing the small folk outright just to prevent a repeat.

 

[Gothmog]

I have two long-term NPCs that have accompanied the group for the last 10 years of real time gaming! They were both introduced initially as short-term aids to the PCs, but after they were around for an adventure or two, the players all decided to keep them around, giving them a full share of treasure and XP. One , Delnas Dunwyrnas, is a minor noble and cleric of the god of justice that acts as a confessor and theological superior to the paladin in the party, and who has become very powerful and respected in his church. The other is a rogue (thief from 2e) named Cyrus, with a couple levels of wizard the party hired when they knew they were going to be facing an area with a lot of traps. He's rather reckless, cocky, and a daredevil, but the group liked him so much after the adventure, they invited him to stay on as well. I wasn't sure about playing permanenent NPCs in a group, but over the years I have developed unique personalities for them, and the players can actually tell from the inflection of my voice and by the content of what I say which one is speaking without me even having to preface it. The PCs have risked their lives, resources, and even sacrificed magic items to insure these two NPCs remained safe, and I've made sure the NPCs live up to their end of things too, bonding strongly with the players. Once when Delnas was nearly killed while taking a self-sacrificing action, the guy who played the paladin actually teared up and got very upset, and pulled out all the stops charging through enemies to insure the NPC didn't die (there is no Raise Dead or the like in my world). The players now considers these two NPCs to be core members of the party, and they'd never let me retire them.

There have been other minor NPCs who have joined the party from time to time, such as Mansour Rahiman, a cabalist (homebrew ritual magic caster), and Wolfgang Schonauger, a fighter in service to the paladin's church who had a nasty run-in with demons, and who the paladin decided to keep a close eye on for signs of corruption. Over time the two became close friends, and when the party needs some extra muscle on an adventure, they go recruit Wolfgang.

 

[Rel]

I dislike gnomes...

RACIST!

Actually, I feel your pain. But my guess is that the players are just torturing you for a bit of fun. I recall a game I ran years ago where the party met a "Fish Man" named Boogaloob who I portrayed with a "gargly voice". They badgered him into being their guide for a while and were constantly trying to make conversation with him, which I felt obliged to keep up in the gargly voice. Eventually they fell out laughing as my poor voice started to give out and I came close to pulling a "Blue Bolt TPK".

 

[Caius]

my group really hasn't picked up many NPC's, I guess we sort of got one a while ago, his name is Wembley and he's basically our version of Norwick, except he never comes into the dungeon crawls, he just watches over the groups wagon.

our dragon pc though has a familiar which is a brownie named Jermey, everyone's kinda taken a shine to him, as he's kinda forced to stay with the group due to being tied to the dragon by the rope of a scintillating bathrobe...

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I don't know how many times I've given the party and out so the guy could take off and I could get some peace, but they go to great lengths to protect and help him. They ask him for spiritual advice and "What would Garl do" for heaven's sake! BLARGH!

Next campaign I run, I'm axing the small folk outright just to prevent a repeat.

But look at what a wonderful opportunity to jerk them around the party has given you

 

[Rackhir]

More than one campaign seems to have adopted Meepo from the Sunless Citadel. There's just something about Meepo....