Hi, I have been DMing a campaign for friends of mine. I like to keep it rolling and flavoring NPC:s as well with personalities and stuff that might give players a feeling that they're also unique parts of living world, more or less something else too than buffbots, merchants or otherwise faceless beings yelling for adventurers help. I've had quite nice success with my approach and players actually seem to be interested not only looting endless riches, but of some of the NPC's personalities and attitudes too, making RP'ing much enjoyable and giving opportunities to different kinds of quests as well.
And now to the topic. I've come up with an idea to introduce a new NPC to the campaign. Basic idea of the character is that she's not from the world players live in, but from another dimension, time or probably just an incarnation materialized from people's hope. Campaign setting is based on Eberron, and as players have whenever tried to feed their greed or save the world, situation is still quite f***d.
As mentioned above, during those hard times I've thought that maybe I plan a situation that gives players chance to get known with that stranger, and maybe even get help from her if they decide to play their cards right. That naturally means maybe some acts of help and favors etcetc. but the thing itself I've come up with and why I'm writing here depends on mainly on specifics and rules of D&D character creation. I've thought about that instead of creating an NPC and stuffing it with magical items, I would like to approach it a bit from the aschetic point of view and therefore would like to use Vow of Poverty with some modifications and rules changed with it.
Idea is that NPC, being an alien part of the world players are in, is rejected by magical effects and aspects of the present world. Due to that reason, equipping magical items (or maybe using any at all) is not her best interest. I had to come up with this kind of situation, because the campaign itself is not totally good-aligned, and therefor I don't want to put up NPCs to hamper or restrict players freedom, but instead give them support and alternative ways of thinking if they are up to it.
So, I've thought about something like this and would like to copy my thoughts and modifications here so feel free to comment and give opinions if my modifications are too underpowered or overpowered for medium-to-high -magic Eberron Campaign. Here goes:
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As a stranger from another time, or not from this time at all, NPC is prohibited of using any magical items. That is, using or equipping any of magical items is not properly fit for her and attempting to do so will cause her harm and risking of item breaking.
If she is to use such items, she takes 1 point of wisdom damage every round from resonating distortions. When her wisdom reaches to zero, she is banished from existence and the item is instantly destroyed within the process. Using potion, wand, or some other items of the like counts as one round of usage and therefor damages 1 point of wisdom. Holding magical item at hand counts as equipping item in purposes of determining penalties (so if using item is neccessary, it should not be held for longer than needed).
///For example using a wand instantly damages her wisdom by one point (that's for using the item at first place), and another point of wisdom at start of her next turn (that's for holding the item at hand), unless she has means of dropping or sheathing the item in the same round she uses it.///
NPCmay, however carry such items in bag, belt or with her clothing without suffering consecuenses as long as items doesn't come to contact with her physically.
In addition, when she enters an area or is succesfully attacked with an attack that restricts contacts to other planes or realms of existence (like dimensional anchor) her given abilities are rendered unusable for the duration of the effect or as long as she remains in the area of effect. This as well removes her penalty for equipping magic items as well for the duration of the shackling effect. In general, that makes him more like an ordinary person with some restrictions that come with the shackling effect.
///It is possible that as the campaign goes and character gets experience, she grows tolerance to dimensional shackles as well. After that when entering shackled area, NPC may roll caster level check as opposed to that of the caster of the shackling effect. If she beats the roll she has gained tolerance to the effect and is unaffected by it (in terms of weakening her abilities - all magical effects and restrictions of the area still affect her normally) for the next 24 hours or as long as she remains in the area without leaving it in the first place. If, however she fails the roll she is affected normally and loses her abilities. After failing the roll she can't gain tolerance for the same effect in next 24 hours.///
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This special rule gives NPC benefits much similiar that of Vow of Poverty with some differences:
-Using prohibited magic item doesn't remove benefits gained (penalty from doing so mentioned above).
-Benefit gains are not tied to aligment or charities.
-Exalted feat gains removed as well as Exalted Strike.
-Freedom of Movement ability works only for maximum total of 10 rounds/ day, and use of this ability can be separated into multiple uses. Gained at level 11 (down from 14th).
-True Seeing ability works only for maximum total of 10 rounds/ day, and use of this ability can be separated into multiple uses. Gained at level 13 (down from 18th).
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-QUEST IDEA: Becoming a part of the world-
Players might want to help NPC grow her attunement to the present world and that way boost her abilities regarding magic items or some other aspects, and for doing so gain some significant rewards for helping her as well. Helping NPC to gain attunement costs player a fixed amount of experience and when engouh experience is spared she blends in more seemingly with the realm. (Stuff that comes after asterix are the planned rewards for the player who spares his XP)
Level 1 - NPC gains ability to use Scrolls and Potions without any harm.
*NPC recalls an item from Cosmos (random magic item; type chosen by player).
Level 2 - NPC gains ability to use Wands and Staffs without any harm.
*Player gains one of the spell-like abilities usable once per day: Blink, Haste, Slow.
Level 3 - NPC gains ability to resist losing her abilities when shackled (see above).
*Player gains one of the spell-like abilities: Dimension Door or Dimensional Anchor 1/day, Hold Monster or Sending 2 times/ week, Disintegrate or True Seeing 1/week.
Level 4 - NPC gains Natural adaptation ability (see below).
*Player gets 2 points of inheret bonus to a stat of his choice, 2 free Feats or Time Stop spell-like ability usable once per 2 weeks.
///Natural adaptation: Having totally adapted to native environment. NPC can now choose to suppress her abilities without being shackled, and therefor allow her use and equipping of magic items when doing so just like an ordinary person can do. She can also choose to benefit from her innate abilities and while in effect, prohibit wearing magical items. Activating or suppressing her abilities is free action, that can be used automatically in concjunction when she comes in contact with magical items that could normally harm her (as well as in conjunction when removing magical items in terms of re-activating her abilities).///
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Now, if you have read through the whole wall of text I would appreciate if you have any comments on the idea. As well as with opinions to the general balancing issues, I haven't yet come up with any numeric decision of the XP costs that players has to pay in terms of advancing with "quest" and in order to receive his reward. I have only thought about to use spell levels and magic item creation rules as guidelines for determining cost as XP instead of gold, or such. So if you are more familiar with stuff like this and have some general idea which would be correct number in terms of XP-loss related to abilities gained that would make my work bit easier as well. 
Thank you!
Thank you!
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