Helping Make NPCs Distinct

[JNAProductions]

So I have some NPCs in the town of Greenhollow. They are:

Mayor-Jonathan Greenhollow (Half-Elf)
Blacksmith-Torg Ironheart (Dwarf)
General Store Owner-William Brightley (Human)
Carpenter-Maria Brightley (Human)
Village Elder-Naishtar Oaken (Elf)
Merchant-Avarice Clan Nis (Tiefling)

I need some help making them distinct.

Note: Players in Adventure! should feel free to contribute. Even though this is your campaign, I don't mind getting world-building advice from you guys. That being said, try to make it agnostic in regards to your characters.

[JoeJ]

Maybe the village elder can cast ritual spells. If the PCs get on his good side, he can be of great assistance to them. But with only rituals, he won't be useful tagging along on adventures.

[Zman]

So I have some NPCs in the town of Greenhollow. They are:

Mayor-Jonathan Greenhollow (Half-Elf)
Blacksmith-Torg Ironheart (Dwarf)
General Store Owner-William Brightley (Human)
Carpenter-Maria Brightley (Human)
Village Elder-Naishtar Oaken (Elf)
Merchant-Avarice Clan Nis (Tiefling)

I need some help making them distinct.

Note: Players in Adventure! should feel free to contribute. Even though this is your campaign, I don't mind getting world-building advice from you guys. That being said, try to make it agnostic in regards to your characters.


I like adding a couple of memorable details about each.


Mayor-Jonathan Greenhollow (Half-Elf) Politician's smile with a slight nervous tick.
Blacksmith-Torg Ironheart (Dwarf) Burn scar on cheek/neck where no beard grows, surely and potbellied.
General Store Owner-William Brightley (Human). Walks with a limp, gout is getting the best of him up as he ages.
Carpenter-Maria Brightley (Human) Knarled worn hands hardly fitting on a woman, but a warm smile that leaves no doubts.
Village Elder-Naishtar Oaken (Elf) Piercing stare and delayed responses that are tempered by centuries of experience.
Merchant-Avarice Clan Nis (Tiefling) A broken born and scar above her brow, most trust of potential bandits and knaves. Owns an old grey mare named Bessy.

[JNAProductions]

I like adding a couple of memorable details about each.


Mayor-Jonathan Greenhollow (Half-Elf) Politician's smile with a slight nervous tick.
Blacksmith-Torg Ironheart (Dwarf) Burn scar on cheek/neck where no beard grows, surely and potbellied.
General Store Owner-William Brightley (Human). Walks with a limp, gout is getting the best of him up as he ages.
Carpenter-Maria Brightley (Human) Knarled worn hands hardly fitting on a woman, but a warm smile that leaves no doubts.
Village Elder-Naishtar Oaken (Elf) Piercing stare and delayed responses that are tempered by centuries of experience.
Merchant-Avarice Clan Nis (Tiefling) A broken born and scar above her brow, most trust of potential bandits and knaves. Owns an old grey mare named Bessy.

I like most of that, except Greenhollow's. They're all living in a thorp of 46 people-he's not a politician, he's a farmer who everyone likes and decided to appoint as the official representative.

[Sredni Vashtar]

I like most of that, except Greenhollow's. They're all living in a thorp of 46 people-he's not a politician, he's a farmer who everyone likes and decided to appoint as the official representative.

Then maybe he's very humble and self-depreciating about his role, which belies the fact that he's very good at it.

[JNAProductions]

Thanks! I like that.

And, obviously, thanks to ZMan, for giving the rest of them a little trait.

[Zman]

Thanks! I like that.

And, obviously, thanks to ZMan, for giving the rest of them a little trait.

Glad I could help!

Adding a little memorable trait like those really levels up a campaign. I've had parties fall in love with just a random NPC I have a name and a quick description like that to to have them ultimately become a classed NPC and even have the party go to great risk to keep him safe.

[Sitri]

I like to keep an online sort of journal for characters and places. I use obsidian portal for free but I know there are others. I steal art online and post it as a representation of all my NPCs. I find this does two things to help a lot.

1. It helps me and everyone else remember who they are and therefore allow personality traits develop over time despite weeks or months passing in real life without interacting with that person. I can attest that it helps me and by the fact I see more players using actual names when this is done rather than "The mayor" or "The shop owner" I think it safe to say it does for them too.

2. I often build character traits from inspiring art pictures. There are some talented artist that have already worked subtle life into their art. This method is like crowd-sourcing inspiration.

[Safety Sword]

If you have a sketch with a distinct feature that can help the players associate a face with the name. Think of it as a profile picture for your description of the NPC.

Voices too, but not all DMs are into that.

[unwise]

So I have some NPCs in the town of Greenhollow. They are:

Mayor-Jonathan Greenhollow (Half-Elf)
He looks like a 60yr old human, which for a half elf means very old. He grew up here, went adventuring for a long time, took a human wife, moved back. She died, he married again eventually. He outlived her too, he never really bounced back from that. He is beloved in the town, the elders are concerned that he is growing distant and quiet, when elves lose the will to live, the end comes soon after. They are not sure about half-elves.
He knows everything about everything in the town. He knows the lore of the area exceptionally well and keeps a great many secrets to protect the village and its surrounds. He knows why the maypole dance must be done at this exact time at this exact place. He knows why nobody goes to Ravenholm, he knows what is buried in Potter's Field, he knows why no blood must be spilled near the ring on the hill.


Blacksmith-Torg Ironheart (Dwarf)
- Is flamboyantly gay bear of a dwarf. He fled his dwarven home to avoid an arranged marriage. He does not care what humans think of him in the least so he is free to live as he pleases here. He is damn good at his craft. His apprentice is a young man kicked out of his clan for being caught in a very compromising position.

General Store Owner-William Brightley (Human)
- His sign at the front of the store reads, "no halflings, no gnomes, no devil-kin, no exceptions!" He thinks the short folk are thieves and that Tieflings can read his mind and charm him with their eyes. If anybody cares to find out, a halfling really did steal something quiet valuable from him and he will pay to get it back. A tiefling broke his heart, he thinks she bewitched him.

Carpenter-Maria Brightley (Human)
- The most foul mouthed person the PCs are ever likely to meet. Makes sailors blush. Will do anything to protect the village she loves, even though everybody thinks she hates it here. She can't find a partner on account of her manners. If any PCs are brash and loud, or seem to lack manners, she will be drawn to them. She does not care if they are male or female, she will approach them in the no-nonsense manner for which she is reknowned. She will grow quiet and hold a mighty grudge if refused, doubly so if publicly rejected. Not often charisma 8 PCs become the object of peoples affection, should be fun.

Village Elder-Naishtar Oaken (Elf)
- The elfiest elf around. He over compensates for living among humans. He is almost a walking caricature of elves. He tries really hard to be full of ancient lore and wisdom, but it is a bit of a facade. He does not know as much about the local lore as the mayor, but acts like he does. Pretends to be much older than he is. He knows a few cantrips, but pretends to be a powerful mage who has put away his power, he lets people think he is a retired archmage. He is a nice enough guy, just insecure and prone to exaggeration.

Merchant-Avarice Clan Nis (Tiefling)
- Overly friendly, gives toys to children, treats PCs like his best friends. He puts on the charms to compensate for the racism that is leveled at him. Most of the town have bought it "sure other devil-kin are liars and thieves, but that peddler is OK, he helped me move my cupboard upstairs". In reality, he loathes pretty much everybody, but prefers them not to know it. He will lie, cheat and murder to get whatever he wants. He does not know what he wants though.

I need some help making them distinct.

Note: Players in Adventure! should feel free to contribute. Even though this is your campaign, I don't mind getting world-building advice from you guys. That being said, try to make it agnostic in regards to your characters.

Hope that helps.

[JNAProductions]

Okay, that bit about the flamboyantly gay dwarf made me laugh. Imma steal all that!

[Mr.Moron]

Mayor-Jonathan Greenhollow Starts lots of sentences with "Welll... you know". Loves onions. Overly proud of his family's ale recipe.
Blacksmith-Torg Ironheart Never content with the weather. Enjoys watching the road when not at work. Dislikes salty foods.
General Store Owner-William Brightley Shy around women. Keeps a pet chicken his shop. Very proud of his vegetable garden.
Carpenter-Maria Brightley Always wanted to be an adventurer as a little girl. Hates profanity, and attempts (sometimes poorly) to put on airs of being born to a higher station. Total lightweight.
Village Elder-Naishtar Oaken Loves groaner "Dad Jokes". Will not let anyone leave their home until they've had a cup of tea. Likes stew.
Merchant-Avarice Clan Nis Generous, but not the point of the business suffering. Always offers sweets when they first time they meet. Can't sing, doesn't realize it. Afraid of dogs and anything else even vaguely canine.

[Goober4473]

As a general rule, I've been trying to give each NPC the players interact with at least one obvious, defining trait. Something 1-dimensional that will help them differentiate that NPC. The suggestions already in this thread are pretty good examples. I suggest also taking a look at the Fate RPG system. I've been using what are essentially aspects from that as roleplaying guides for my NPCs.

Here are some other specific ideas:
- A lisp, a stutter, or an accent
- Constant use of weird turns of phrase, obscure references, or puns
- Often forgets words or uses the wrong words
- Whispering side notes or mean things to people nearby (loud enough for everyone to hear)
- Two characters that quietly discuss what to say next every time they speak; maybe one only says positive things and one only says negative things

[Regitnui]

For the major NPCs in my setting, I often work up a full history; like as dwarf pirate captain; she's a cartographer, with an obsessive eye for detail and a perfectionist attitude. She dropped into the position of captain by chance or accident, but captains to the best of her ability just because she'll be damned if she lets someone take over that she doesn't trust to do the job properly. She's signed up with the rebels in the nation of pirates because she doesn't like the current high prince and his dreams of conquest.

For the more minor NPCs, like I think your current bunch seems to be, I pick two or three traits I can keep in mind easily; Forge, warforged blacksmith who has a 'tattoo' of a hammer on each wrist and one of a monster on his back; he wants the god of smiths close to his work, but the goddess of passion has a role in his craft too, so he shows her his loyalty whenever he bends to his work.

Sorry, I can't add much more to the traits list you've already got.