NPC Thread

[Koloss17 She/They]

So I've given a lot of thought to making this thread. In the end, I think it is a good idea, but there are some disclaimers.

What this thread is:

• A place to talk about NPCs
• A place to coordinate with others about NPCs
• A place to request feedback on NPCs or ask someone to control or make an NPC
• A place to flesh out an NPC, for either world building or character development purposes

What this thread is not:

• A required place to post your NPCs
• A place where we "approve" NPCs

 

In the end, this is a place to help create NPCs for your character or world building purposes. It is not a place that you have to get through to use an NPC. Rules are not changing, and in the end, NPCs are largely unregulated. If an NPC is integral to a character, and follow them around (like a spren), it would be great to pair that with your character in the character approval thread. Otherwise, there is no approval process for NPCs. However, as I have created NPCs or created NPCs to help out other characters, I have felt that a thread like this would be very useful. A place to create an NPC with feedback from others, as well as to communicate with others if you are making or piloting an NPC for someone else

I'd recommend using the character template here, but you are free to do as you wish, as again, we are not approving any posted NPCs (they're always approved, unless I specifically see a problem with em).

Spoiler

Name: Character Name
Appearance: A brief description of your characters. Could include height, hair and eye colour, complexion, what clothes they typically wear, how they carry themselves, etc. (Eg. A haughty man in his late thirties, lazy blue eyes, black hair with a characteristic streak of grey on the left side. He dresses in old fashioned Scadrian formal-wear and has a dueling cane perpetually in hand)
Affiliations: Please include any relevant groups or people your character is associated with.
Personality: Briefly describe the characters personality. How do they react to people below them? Above them? Their equals? Is there a discrepancy between their appearance and their true feelings? Or do they wear their emotions on their sleeve? What are they passionate about and what do they hate?
Concept: A short summary of what you feel the key components of the character are, ideally should be a single sentence or even only a few words. A sociopathic doctor, a bleeding-heart assassin, a dishonorable Radiant, etc.
Motivation (Short & long term goal): What is the character aiming for? What are they trying to get done this week and what are their longer term plans? Short term motivations could be as simple as finding somewhere to live or someone to talk to, long term motivations should ideally pull from the backstory and personality, and preferably tie in to their flaw.
Merits: Characters should have three minor merits, two normal merits and one major merit. A major merit is the defining ability of your character, what sets them apart from others. This could be being a Knight Radiant, or an expert swordsman, or a genius inventor. A normal merit is a secondary but still key skill or talent. The bread and butter skills that the character uses the most frequently after their major merit. Minor merits represent rp skills (Such as being a talented singer or musician), a lesser talent (An amateur swordfighter), or a very minor magical ability. 
Flaws: What problems does your character face? Do they have a physical impediment to achieving their goals? A problematic personality? Or a disadvantageous social situation? Ideally a flaw feeds into a characters long term goal, this is the thing that must be overcome in order to achieve what they are looking for.
Relationships (Eg. Family and Friends): Can be as minimal or as detailed as you wish, does your family have any family? Friends? Enemies? (These will usually be represented as flaws as well) These relationships could be NPCs or they could be other player characters, though please ensure you consult with the players in question first. Please think carefully about this section, as who the character surrounds themselves with will often influence who they are.
Home Planet: Where is your character from? Can also list a specific heritage here (Eg. Veden, Elendelian, Arelish)
Current Residence: Where does your character sleep at night? Do they rent a room somewhere (And if so how do they pay for it?), do they have a cottage, a manse, an apartment? And which district of the city have they chosen to reside in? (See our Guide to Alleycity for information about districts and existing locations)
Backstory: What has led your character to where they are? This should tie many other of these fields together, explaining their motivations and how they achieved their merits.
Loose ends (What is unfinished in their life?): What lingering threads from their backstory still hang over the character?
Links (Eg. Theme song, a spotify playlist, a pinterest mood board): Links to any resources or references you may have created or compiled for this character. Not mandatory but they are very fun to make

 

Anyways, have fun posting!

[Koloss17 She/They]

Alright. I should prooobably post some of my NPCs here, just for future reference. Feel free to use any of these for your own purposes or ask me to RP them with your character. Just ask, and I’ll help out!

Venser

Spoiler

Name: Venser (Inspired by Venser, and artificer in MTG)
Appearance: A well-kept Thaylen, standing at around 5 and a half feet. Has a mix of Scadrian inspired and classic Theylen clothing, all of which are classy looking. He has a decently long and thin mustache, with matching Theylen eyebrows. They are both very well kept. He always has a cheery smile on in front of customers, and clearly enjoys what he does. His voice is smooth and friendly. Not exactly wizened, but certainly classy.
Personality: Venser is always cordial, with his inner thoughts held close and controlled. He is a kind and outgoing soul, while also dealing to those of terrible character. He has given up on being morally good, and prioritizes who he can sell to rather than what the people plan to do with what he sells. Money is the key to his success, and he plans on making the most of it. He keeps out of trouble and is very much a people pleaser.
Concept: The store owner of the Silver Dagger, a bar turned general goods store in the Corridor. Specializes in selling to metalborn of all kinds, and runs a black market weapon manufacturing business on the side.
Motivation (Short & long term goal): He wants to be a successful businessman, and be renowned in the Alleyverse. Short term he wants money to keep up and expand shop, but secretly hopes to expand his wares to possibly the Cauldron. However, business is good, and he is one of the best metalborn merchants in the Corridor, so he will be staying put for some time.
Merits: No magical abilities, but is very charismatic. As a shopkeep, he is well versed in many different cultures, largely of the Cosmere. He is good with words, and knows when to say something and when to keep his mouth shut.
Flaws: He really has no true direction in life, and is very much a people pleaser. He breaks the mold of many Theylen stereotypes of being a money thief, but that comes at the cost of being a bit too agreeable, and can easily be threatened. Is morally grey, knowing that some of who he sells to are going to do horrible things, but has decided that that is their problem, not his.
Relationships (Eg. Family and Friends): Had a family and a Babsk, but all of them have either died or moved on. He has a daughter, but hasn’t seen her in close to 15 years, not knowing if she is alive or not. He has very few friends in Alleycity, more of acquaintances. Has a good reputation with repeat customers and other shopkeeps, but doesn’t really do friends. Unbeknownst to him, he is actually quite lonely.
Home Planet: A theylen from Roshar
Current Residence: The Corridor, living a few blocks from his shop.
Backstory: He had a fairly ordinary life on Roshar. I haven’t fleshed it out much, but I do know that he had a Babsk who died from a run in with the wrong customer, had a lover, had a daughter, and traveled away from that life. He never ended up returning, as he ended up slipping into the Alleyverse, seeing Alleycity as a business opportunity, not wishing to return to Roshar.
Loose ends (What is unfinished in their life?): his life feels unfinished. He thinks that is because he hasn’t achieved the fame he wanted, but in the end, he wants to make something of his life. Right now, his life is just selling and making goods, and it is not the life that will make him happy in the end. He has no idea of the life he left behind, and has locked away those memories.

Phemus

Spoiler

Character sheet not made yet. I’ll update it soon!

Plutus

Spoiler

Character sheet not made yet. I’ll update it soon!

 

[Steel Speedster ♂]

I'll just put this here:

Trant

Spoiler

Name: Trant

Appearance: Average height Scadrian male in his late 30s. Brown hair and grizzled beard. Scars on his face. Aluminum gun and holster.

Affiliations: His gang.

Personality: Laidback, casual demeanor. Exudes confidence and control. He presents himself as a merciless criminal, but is in reality not as cold hearted as he pretends, and will occasionally even help someone without getting any benefit himself (although he always pretends that he did.) His gang specializes in information and generally doesn’t perpetrate extreme crimes, usually acting as a deal broker. He is known for being notoriously lucky, and rumor has it that he’s a Spinner. Likes keeping secrets, believing that they give him an edge, but also believes in the power of rumors. Hence, other rumors circulate that he is an Allomancer. (He is in fact a Duralumin Gnat.)

Concept: Criminal informant.

Motivation (Short & long term goal):

• Short:
  • Maintain his position in the underworld and expand.
• Long:
  • Maybe retire someday and move somewhere nice.

Merits:

• Minor:
  • Intelligent.
  • Highly competent.
  • Duralumin Gnat.
• Normal:
  • Gang leader.
  • Deadly shot.
• Major:
  • Spinner.

Flaws: Though not as amoral as he seems, he deliberately acts indifferent to morality, and determinedly acts only in his own interests.

Relationships (Eg. Family and Friends): Doesn’t have any “friends,” only “contacts” or “associates.” Has had dealings with many important figures in the underworld.

Home Planet: Alleyplanet.

Current Residence: Undisclosed. Somewhere in the Mistwarrens.

Backstory: Led a relatively unremarkable early life for a criminal in the Scadrian districts. He distinguished himself with his skill with a gun and an edge provided by his Feruchemy. Eventually, he became the leader of a profitable criminal gang, specializing in information and smuggling.

Loose ends (What is unfinished in their life?): Trant feels he’s got it made. Someday, he hopes to retire with enough money to buy a big house somewhere. There’s a part of him, however, that’s not as tough and pragmatic as he would like to believe, that occasionally tells him he should be doing something better.

 

[Koloss17 She/They]

Oh this reminds me that I should maybe actually get around to making those other npc sheets…

[Steel Speedster ♂]

NPCs associated with the underground organization

I've introduced a few characters affiliated with this organization, so I figured I should get character sheets up for them. These will start out a little empty, but I'll try to update them as more information comes out about them.

Mask

Spoiler

Name: Unknown. Pseudonym: "Mask"
Appearance: Scadrian male of average height and build. Appears to be in his late 20s - early 30s. Black hair. A generic looking face, save for his eyes, which are noted to feel piercing and slightly unnerving. Wears unremarkable clothing for a low - middle class Scadrian, usually black in color.
Affiliations: Underground organization
Personality: Quietly confident. He remains cool and always seems in control of the situation. Seems to enjoy withholding information and the frustration it causes others.
Motivation (Short & long term goal): Unknown
Merits: 

• Organization leadership? (Major)
• ???

Flaws: 
Relationships: Unknown
Home Planet: Unknown (Scadrial or Alleyplanet)
Current Residence: Unknown
Backstory: Unknown
Loose ends (What is unfinished in their life?): Unknown

 

Bairn

Spoiler

Name: Bairn Cain
Appearance: Stocky 5’6” Scadrian male with close-shaved black hair and stubble and thick eyebrows. Wears nondescript clothing typical of a lower-class Scadrian. Has a pewter spike in his heart.
Affiliations: Underground organinzation
Personality: A competitive type, enjoying combat. Prefers to be an enforcer for influential people rather than have all the power himself. Lacks personal ambition. Not unintelligent, but he doesn’t have a mind for largescale planning. Competent for leading thugs.
Motivation (Short & long term goal): Unknown
Merits:

• F-pewter spike (Normal)
• Pulser (Normal)

Flaws:
Relationships (Eg. Family and Friends): Unknown
Home Planet: Scadrial
Current Residence: Unknown
Backstory: Unknown
Loose ends (What is unfinished in their life?): Unknown

 

Cuvel

Spoiler

Name: Cuvel Bazitt

Appearance: A tall and lanky Scadrian man in his late 20s. He has styled brown hair and wears a simple but classy brown suit.

Affiliations: Underground organization

Personality: Sly and calculating. Knows what to say and how to say it. Has a philosophical mind and his own philosophical outlook on the world, believing that power should belong to those who deserve it, that merit is based on achievement, and that respect is due to the most powerful people.

Motivation (Short & long term goal): Unknown

Merits:

• Persuasive speaker (Minor)
• Soother (Normal)
• A-steel spike (Major)

Flaws:

Relationships (Eg. Family and Friends): Unknown

Home Planet: Alleyplanet

Current Residence: Unknown

Backstory: Unknown

Loose ends (What is unfinished in their life?): Unknown

 

Edited February 7 by Steel Speedster

[Qianweilian He/him]

The Stranger: (if that’s too generic, than we can call him Strang Eres)

Spoiler

Name: Unknown 

Alias: “The Stranger"

Appearance: A mysterious, dark-skinned, middle-aged man. Clean-shaven, with brown hair (although some gray streaks are present). Has a small nose and a bony chin. Smiles often in a mildly unsettling way.

Affiliations: Underground organization 

Personality: Cool and calculating, though he doesn’t show it, instead presenting a kind facade. Values his friends, but will sacrifice them. Lost his wife for many years, but eventually got over it before they met again. Realized that a peaceful and uneventful doesn’t make him happy, so he began a life of crime. He has now joined the secret organization and is a secret guard at recruitment meetings.

Motivation (Short & long term goal): Unknown

Merits:

• Moderate:
  • Allomantic Copper
• Minor:
  • Extremely intelligent
  • Somewhat muscular for his old age
  • Feruchemical Electrum

Flaws: Unknown

Relationships (Eg. Family and Friends): Gave Aradan food and water, as he knew Aradan’s parents and took pity on him. His wife, who is also in the underground organization.

Home Planet: Scadrial

Current Residence: Unknown

Backstory: Knew Aradan’s parents and worked with them. In the same event that killed Aradan’s parents, the stranger’s wife appeared to have been murdered as well. Came to Alleycity to cope, and has realized he doesn’t need anyone, he only needs power. Joined the underground organization in an attempt to get more power. Eventually found out his wife was alive, did the same thing as him, and know they live a "happy" life of crime together.