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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pming" data-source="post: 7117998" data-attributes="member: 45197">Hiya!First, don't feel bad. It's not your fault, not totally anyway. It's mostly the fault of a "writer" attempting to write an "adventure". Y'see...whoever wrote that adventure was trying to tell his story...not help you (the DM) tell yours. This is probably the main bugaboo with AP's in particular, and "new" adventure writers in general; they think that their story/plot is so damn cool that it should trump you and your players. Whoever wrote that bit of the adventure needs to put the keyboard away and go back to DM'ing for another couple years, creating his/her own stuff. Then come back and give writing a "D&D Module" another shot.Second, don't think of the NPC as just a "device to deliver some lines and a McGuffin". The NPC has a reason for doing what he/she/it is doing. This is the improv part. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> This Kost guy obviously has a reason for wanting the PC's to do something. This Kost guy figured that the threat of death was the 'natural' way to get what he wants (e.g., he is Evil, and this is how Evil gets things done...not by asking, but by demanding/threatening). So...why is he evil? Is he Evil? Or is he "evil"? Come up with a general motive on the spot. You can write down a nice list of NPC motives on a piece of paper, say 1 to 8 of them or so. Then, when a situation like this comes up, roll a d8.If you get a 4, and a 4 has "Family" listed...then he's doing it for some kind of Family reason. Once that little seed is planted in your brain, you will quickly see all the "improv taps" start to open...."Family? Hmmm....ok, his twin brother is captured by [some NPC/monster in the adventure that comes to mind], and that guy wants [quest PC's are expected to take on]. Maybe Kost will offer half the brothers 'treasure'? ...hmmm...oh...each brother has 1/2 of a key that opens the secret magic door to the vault so neither could abscond with all of it. Yeah, ok, now there is a reason for the NPC doing what he's doing, a reason why the PC's can't/shouldn't just kill him, and a carrot for the PC's to get when/if they say yes"That's probably enough for the PC's to take the 'job'. If you need more, well, make more rolls on your tables to get "seeds" to use in your improv. This is one of those things that you can not just "read and do"...this is one of those DM things that just takes time to develop. No way around that. It will take time...probably LOTs of time...as in years (multiple months if you are a quick study). It is also one of those things that you just get better and better at. I think the DMG has some 'motives' and whatnot on NPC's in there...can't remember. There are a lot of ideas, charts, tables and stuff like that out there. Gary (Gygax) used to use a 'suit' die (from backgammon?) that he would roll with the reaction of NPC's. Diamonds meant 'money/wealth', Hearts meant 'love/family', etc (may not be exactly those, but you get the point). I always thought this was a great idea, but have never gotten my hands on one of these dice...huh....should look back into that... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />^_^Paul L. Ming</blockquote>

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