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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1484311" data-attributes="member: 15043">As for the number of NPCs:1) These are all of the major ones the party has met in their journey from being 3rd level folks looking for money to becoming 14th level nobility.  Some, like Dingalas, are included because while they appeared rarely (he was only in two sessions) they made a major impression on the players.  Some, like Luke, are plot devices (originally he and later Elenya were just supposed to provide magical backup... once the PCs started jumping into relationships with them, the players started wanting them to stay, and the DM saw chances for plot points).  There's also quite a few that don't actually adventure with the party... they were given levels mainly in case the party decided to do something completely unexpected (lets go attack the Emperor and steal the crown!  Oh wait, he's 20th level), or I decide spontaneously to be a bastard (Siabrey, while you're talking to Stodiana, a vampire attacks!  Roll initiative...), which tends to happen quite a bit. Which leads me to reason two...2) Most of the time my sessions aren't planned far in advance... so I tend to stat out my NPCs in case I decide on last minute changes.  Having many NPCs floating around in the world also gives me a variety to pick and choose from as to who will actually appear in that session.  Most sessions there tends to be very few:  Luke and Elenya, and usually one or two more the party actively interacts with, but who usually don't go "adventuring" with them.  The list appears so long because its a list of people they've run into (as well as fought beside) over the course of 16 sessions (perhaps 80-90 hours of game time).3) Another reason there's so many is because I try to bring in PC's backgrounds into the game... if the player takes up the time to write up a background,its my opinion I should include it somehow.  Siabrey and Tess both have pretty extensive backgrounds, which is where another chunk of the NPCs come from (Kelir, Quin, Stodiana).  As to Luke seeming the main character, its not my intention.  He appears quite alot because of his close relationship with Siabrey (who I could see being argued as vying for being a main character), and as such, is quite convenient to give the party ideas on where to go.  For example, after Siabrey's player turned in her background, I wanted to get a chance to introduce her father (mainly for the dramatic moment of daughter meeting the father she never knew).  Siabrie, however, are not native to massive metropolises, but to deserts.  How can I lure them out of the nice, big metropolis of Irulas and its safety, into a hot, dusty, uncomfortable place?  By putting a nice little artifact out there for them to find, and using the NPC her PC is attracted to as the bait.  That also led to the Hextor fun session, as well as the freeing of dragons... I thought it was worth it, and I'm pretty sure my players would agree. <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=":)" />  Another reason it might seem as such is simply because the players themselves are good roleplayers... with each other and the NPCs.  Luke wouldn't be anything like he appears written without Siabrey's constant attentiveness over him.  Elenya would be little more than a wizard that shoots lightning and says nothing if it weren't for Shaun fretting over her (and now the baby).  Quin would be little more than a random swordmen the party met if it wasn't for Tess' caring (and mocking) of him.  The players are the ones that breath alot of life into these NPCs.And as this campaign was intended as just a fun "wouldn't it be cool if," kinda affair (it really is a goof off campaign for me and the players... most of us play in a more serious campaign on the side that Isida runs) the lines are kinda blurred.  The players think its fun (I've asked them repeatedly if they think they're being railroaded, and if they're having fun... so far the unanimous response has been, "Keep it up!" <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=":)" /> )  In a regular campaign I probably wouldn't have an NPC become a were-raven, or given an NPC such a powerful sword (Ik Mataar was another one of the "wouldn't be cool," things, and none of the players wanted it for their characters), but in this campaign, the response from the players has been "thats really cool!" and has added excitement and fun to the game.  <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=":)" /> But, then again, in a "real campaign," it would take longer than 3 months in game to go from 3rd to 14th level. <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=":)" />I guess the thing that sums it all up is that the players are having fun.  If they had fun running around by themselves, I'd do it.  If they had fun running around with a million (well... maybe not a million... maybe two or three times more) NPCs, I'd do it.  Chances are, if they're having fun, I'm having fun at the same time. <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=":)" /></blockquote>

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