Themed NPC "party" suggestions

[Tiadoppler]

I'm setting up a group of recurring social antagonists (not physically hostile, nominally on the same side as the PCs, but kind of jerks), and I'm looking for some inspiration.

Theme: The NPCs are a group of 4-6 traveling performers - specifically popular musicians.

Other than having them all be Bard based NPCs, I'd like some suggestions for interesting, manipulative characters who are traveling the world fighting evil and rocking out. Specific powers, ability combos and personality traits are all welcome. The lead singer/harpist will (likely) be a Bard or Sorcerer specializing in Charm/Enchantment. All of the players at my table have comedy and musical theater experience. There will be a singing competition.

None of these characters should be particularly combat optimized. They're optimized for performance, social competition, and getting a crowd of commoners worked up. If the PCs decide to physically attack them, they'll be dead meat. However, that would come at significant PR cost to the PCs. Also, I think it's very unlikely because of my players' personalities.

[Blood of Gaea]

A Swashbuckler Rogue: A very skilled person who can handle a sword, but mostly get through life with their natural charisma and social skills.

Expertise in Deception, Persuasion, and Intimidation.
The Inspiring Leader feat.


A Great Old One or Fey Warlock: Years ago they formed a pact they should not have, outside of occasionally performing a deed for their Patron, they're content traveling with their group.

Beguiling Influence.
Mask of Many Faces.
Pact of the Chain, with an Imp Familiar.

[SkylarkR6]

Why all bards? My group decided to be a chartered adventuring party that also toured as a band.

Our band consists of:

1: a wild magic sorcerer with entertainer background who "flunked out of bard school for messing up all their spells" who plays fiddle. Prestidigitation and dancing lights for laser light shows.(this can end poorly)

2: Tempest cleric(forget background) with proficiency in drums. Uses thaumaturgy to make booming voices at concerts.

3: Aasimar paladin with proficiency in jazz harp, backs up the bard in social situations. Also backup vocals.

5: Wood elf outlander monk who plays the flute. Doesn't talk much. She sometimes doubles as a backup dancer.

4: Glamour bard is our front man and lute player.

Sneak it in this way and if the PCs do attack them, they can effectively defend themselves. Just simplify their skills and make them a bit weaker then the players.

[Tiadoppler]

Why all bards?

Great ideas! I don't want all bards, that's why I want other suggestions.

I'm strongly considering an immensely hairy barbarian drummer who Rages during performances and breaks stages by accident.

[Laserlight]

I'm setting up a group of recurring social antagonists (not physically hostile, nominally on the same side as the PCs, but kind of jerks), and I'm looking for some inspiration.


Do these guys compete with your PCs on completing quests? Because over the last 30 years of gaming, the NPC we hated most was from a superhero campaign, a guy who called himself Major Victory--or rather, MAAAAAJOR VICTORY!!!--who tended to swoop in at the last minute and claim the credit for defeating the villain. Of course, he was always fresh and polished and camera-ready, because the villains hadn't been smacking him through a parking garage, vertically. And since he was a celebrity hero and always had cameras in his wake, we couldn't put a hurting on him as he so richly deserved.

[Tiadoppler]

Do these guys compete with your PCs on completing quests?

Yes and no. They aren't completely fleshed out yet, so it's still open for lots of changes (especially if I get good feedback/advice).

Yes, they'll compete with the PCs for social standing and getting the credit for heroics.
No, they probably won't show up in an actual icky dungeon with real monsters.
Yes, they might come by afterwards, cut the head off of the dead dragon, and display it at a 5,000 person concert.
They'll also be trying other methods to get the various rewards that the PCs would be pursuing (persuading/seducing/convincing the nobles to let them take the rare artifact, rather than going out and proving their worth with a quest the way the PCs might).

They're also going to be tweaking the Gargantuan sized ego of the PC party leader (a somewhat charismatic Paladin/Bard with a diva complex). And that's the biggest crime of them all.

[Personification]

One of them is a Feylock who, before joining Team Rockette (that is, of course, the team's name), wasn't very well liked and, everyday, wished every day on anything that even seemed to have power to be famous and loved. Eventually something answered. The Feylock is super arrogant about this, and always refers to themselves as the chosen one or something, but is also extremely paranoid about losing everything, and if he or she gets even the smallest inkling that the patron will take away the gift they will go into an irrational and panicked frenzy to make everything better again. If you do go with the name Team Rockette, you need to have at least one Tabaxi Rogue who can't stop talking for a long enough period of time to get a surprise sneak attack.

[Caelic]

Warlock master thespian with the Disguise Self cantrip. He does one-man shows where he plays all of the roles. shifting forms accordingly.

[SkylarkR6]

Great ideas! I don't want all bards, that's why I want other suggestions.

I'm strongly considering an immensely hairy barbarian drummer who Rages during performances and breaks stages by accident.

May I recommend the immensely hair and shirtless Halfling barbarian drummer who rages during performances and breaks stages by accident? Seems like a crowd gathering visual XD

Let me see if I remember everyone well enough. Sorcerer was a naive sort that was overly friendly to everyone. Loved rping this guy. Optimistic, overly friendly and desperate to figure out how to cast spells "right" so he could go back to bard school.

Cleric was a new player and a little shy. Think his goal was something about using the world as a drum with his thunder or some such.

Monk was mute. Communicated Peter and the Wolf style. Musical composition nerd of course.

Paladin was born on a heavenly plane and learned to play harp like a good little angel but wanted to energize the music. He traveled to perfect his jazz harp technique to bring home.

Bard was....Aldous Snow.

These guys were all really into music. I'm the one who could barely play

[Personification]

I originally posted this as an idea for a punny quest for a bard in sigil, but (with some restructuring of plot and interactions) it could prove usefu to you depending on how serious or not your campaign will be:

He must work to stop a trade war in sigil, his opponent: a lady who knows all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven.
Potential allies: air genasi-dwarf lute-craftsman (the Aerosmith), his lutes are built to activate dream-based spells, an air-elemental and his/her husband/wife the earth elemental, they travel the multiverse in a lead zeppelin, The beetles, a group of four polymorphed gnomes living in a modified yellow painted Apparatus of Kwalish, Brimstone "Pink" Floyd, a fire genasi named for his distinctive skin color, he is a wizard and his favorite spells are chromatic orb, prismatic spray, and prismatic wall.

[Dr. Cliché]

If you don't have at least one Tiefling playing heavy metal on a demonic guitar, you're doing it wrong. :smallbiggrin:



Alternatively, if you're not set on them being musicians, you could have them all be lycanthropes who utilise their different forms to create truly unique plays.

Of course, this would probably require that werewolves, wererats and such not immediately become psychotic maniacs if they accept their curse. This is something I do anyway in my games, but I'm aware that other DMs may be iffy about it.

You could do something similar with druids, though the advantage of using lycanthropes is that you can have each of them be a different class for variety's sake. Also, locking each of them into a single animal shape might help your players recognise each individual.

[Tiadoppler]

Team Rockette (that is, of course, the team's name)
YES


If you don't have at least one Tiefling playing heavy metal on a demonic guitar, you're doing it wrong. :smallbiggrin:

Of course, this would probably require that werewolves, wererats and such not immediately become psychotic maniacs if they accept their curse.

Yep, these ideas fit in well with the campaign. The PC party already has two high CHA Tiefling musicians, so it'd be a bit much to also have them in team Rockette. The PCs also have a shapeshifter, a hengeyokai, a magic horse and a talking tree, so I'm not going to special snowflake Team Rockette too much.

Right now I'm leaning towards (None of these characters will be built as PCs, I'm just getting inspiration for basic abilities and theme):

The Lead (the one on all the album covers) is a VHuman Glamour Bard/Mastermind Rogue who's min-maxed into charisma. She focuses on charm/domination magic and Expertise in Performance, Deception, Insight, Persuasion. Sings soprano and plays the harp. Social manipulator who relies on having an amazing reputation. Has a big secret.

The Keyboardist is an Elf Wizard who's completely enthralled by The Lead. Deals with the money and the organization of the band. Tries to keep the rest of the group in line, but is unaware of the unethical activities they're involved in. Uptight, a goody-two-shoes. Does not sing.

The Lutist is a Half-Elf Monk/Tavern Brawler/Fighter type. Uses improvised weaponry and a reinforced Lute. Alcoholic, rowdy, likes starting tavern brawls. Most likely to spend each night in jail rather than an inn. Likes messing with people, especially the Percussionist. Has a secret crush on The Lead. Sings Alto.

The Percussionist is a Werewolf Barbarian who sometimes transforms mid-show, sometimes rages mid-show, sometimes does both. Long hair, duel-wields blunt instruments for maximum pounding. Breaks things and raises insurance premiums. In love with The Lead. Does not sing. Howls sometimes.


Anyone have any other cool thoughts? A stage manager concept, maybe, or other support staff? What kind of hirelings would they have?

[Personification]

Mastermind Rogue Half-Elf agent, Evocation, Transmutation, or Conjuration (summon pixies, pixies create spotlights) Wizard Rock gnome SFX guy.