Thoughts on an NPC character idea

[Mith]

Hi,

I have an idea for an NPC character for my character that is basically a story-teller that will tell them stories in exchange for drinks for a night on the town. The hope is that this is a natural way to introduce stories to the players, as well, also allowing myself to do a bit of cultural fleshing out with the stories. The kicker is that these stories are actually watered down versions of events of the Mythic Age between the Gods, with the storyteller being the god of storytelling, bards, based on LudicSavant's take on Olidammara (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?445953-Olidammara-the-Laughing-Rogue), in a mortal form. He's taken interest in the PCs after their last adventure where they saved a holy artifact from destruction, so he thought to take a measure of them.

The reason for my question is because the only hint that I would give that there is something off about the story teller is the fact that if a player starts to take notes on the story being told, they will get a not addressed to them (not the character) about respecting the oral tradition of the stories, signed by whatever name Olidammara is operating under. So the NPC appears to have broken the fourth wall. I would have them do a fairly Knowledge check to recall information (probably a group check), and I would have a copy of the stories for them to read over at the beginning of any session as a refresh for the players, but those notes would not be available during session.

Personally, I find this an amusing twist of events as a DM, but I can see how it would very easily rub players the wrong way as the DM is telling them how to play the game. I would like to get other people's reaction to the idea.

Thanks for the insights,

-Mith

[mikeejimbo]

I realize that the fourth wall breaking isn't the crux of your issue, but the last time I had a fourth wall breaking character it was a sentient, psychopathic halberd with a penchant for puns and witticisms. Basically Deadpool as a magic item. Its owner - who had originally requested a sentient weapon - hated it. So careful with that.

[Mith]

Yeah. This more stems from the idea that in my setting Olidammara is one of three deities (Nerull, Olidammara, and Baccob) that no one really knows where they came from, and old stories describe them as "been there since the beginning." Where the rest of the gods developed after Creation, and some of them had a hand in making the Prime Material Plane, the history of these gods can also be seen in the perspective of a tribal memory, with each god representing a common ancestor of a race. The first Three existed prior to that with the stories telling on how Baccob and Olidammara convinced Nerull to separate parts, which he later regretted (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?443831-My-pantheon-s-take-on-Nerull).

Due to this, Olidammara is aware of the existence of the 4th wall in a way that no one else really is.

The truly meta part is the fact that these Three can be spun to represent different parts of the game itself, but that's a different story. :smallbiggrin:

[Sam113097]

I like your idea, and I think that once the players start to delve into the mystery of this "storyteller", you have a whole host of interesting directions you could take the game in.

I was wondering how much of the game this storyteller is going to take up? Will he show up unexpectedly once or twice a session to tell a tale, or will you have entire sessions devoted to him?

[LokiRagnarok]

To be honest, I as a player probably would not get the DM's intention with this. I would think that it's actually the NPC telepathically communicating with the PC, and the DM being quite bad at getting that across.

What will you do if the player continues taking notes?

[Mith]

I like your idea, and I think that once the players start to delve into the mystery of this "storyteller", you have a whole host of interesting directions you could take the game in.

I was wondering how much of the game this storyteller is going to take up? Will he show up unexpectedly once or twice a session to tell a tale, or will you have entire sessions devoted to him?

Mostly just a night thing for the PCs. It could be a bit of a social encounter, but it serves as a way to really flesh out cultures in a players mind, since these stories will be familiar to the characters, but different as well since Olidammara is telling them from the point of view of seeing things happen, and will have a much more neutral story then those cultures that recall this thousands of years later.


To be honest, I as a player probably would not get the DM's intention with this. I would think that it's actually the NPC telepathically communicating with the PC, and the DM being quite bad at getting that across.

What will you do if the player continues taking notes?

I plan for the notes to be specifically addressed to the player by name, so that shouldn't be a problem. But if it is, I will probably have to be really creative to deal with it. I am going to have to plan for it, I guess.