Populating a City: Your NPC Here!

[Hobbo Jim]

The players are adventuring around a new continent, where a city has been taking root and growing. They've gotten themselves established, and the city has actual infrastructure and has begun to attract people.

I have been creating a list of potential people to move in, so if you'd like to toss a character into my campaign, I'd love to house them and have the players meet them in the Tavern or about the city! Any amount of descriptors will be accepted, and they can be basically of any race or profession. If They're of a monstrous race, they probably aren't super welcome in the city, but might be able to survive on the outskirts. The only real caveat is if they're going to be above level/CR 6, they can't be wanting to adventure or be happy to help the party without any sort of cost.

In addition to this, I was going to create a list of potential professions as a table and roll a bunch of times to randomize a bit who has been attracted. If you can think of any additions to the list, that would be helpful as well!

Edit of list: 10/9/19 @ 9EST
Glassblower
Carpenter
Artist
Tailor (Fine clothes)
Embroiderer
Potter
Mason
Random Wizard
Random Sorcerer
Chef
Brewer
Artificer
Banker or other Nobleman
wax sculptor/candle-maker
Gardener
Random Druid
Random Cleric/Preacher
Herbalist
Local Healer
Witch
Jewelcrafter
Fortuneteller
Leatherworker
Fisherman
Writer
Cartographer
Cobbler
Butcher
Animal Handler
Cooper
Tinker
Baker
Charcoal Burner
Boyer

[Imbalance]

Gymnk Arthue
Halfling mapmaker/surveyor/planner
Nobody really ever meets Gymnk, but he is sort of ever-present and unnoticed. His short frame is loaded from shin to shoulder with numerous bundles of old maps, spools of string, wooden steaks painted in various colors, tripods, transits, and trail guides, and a dusty, crusty pack full of god knows what. His head is covered with an ordinary hat fitted with clips to attach any number of specialized spyglasses tucked neatly into specialized pouches of his specialized bandolier. If any attention is paid to him at all it is probably because he has, yet again, been mistaken for a heap of miscellany. More often than he recalls, his whole person has been picked up in the midst of his work and loaded onto the back of a cart. On such occasions, he protests by exchanging the map he had been plotting with the road atlas of his current heading and checks it for inaccuracies until he can be returned. Not much of a talker, the most interaction he usually participates in is to see if a person's height is adequate for a given building's doors, or if the headers could be lowered instead.

[Imbalance]

Steffi Winder
Professional angler
There are fish-catchers, and then there is Steffi. After a traumatic childhood and misspent youth, she married young (for an elf) and quickly grew bored with domestic life. As soon as her children were grown, she left her erstwhile husband and fell into a cycle of potion abuse and dead end jobs until she hit rock bottom and tried to drown herself by the docks. Instead, a school of game fish, frenzied by a strange alchemical residue on the millstone she tied to her neck, drove her and her weight back onto dry land. Since that day, nobody can figure out what her secret is, but Steffi's new lease on life is fueled by a passion for wading the shallows early each morning and cheerily hauling a bulging creel to market every day.

[Flashkannon]

Fortuneteller

Glenn Likely
Human (?)

He keeps his brown hair neatly parted, and he wears a stiff checkered yellow (wool) suit with huge shoulderpads. He runs a stall in the marketplace that sells corn and corn products from many regions, which he buys from farms across the world. His hands are always moving, and he has a pleasant but unceasing and often specious sales patter issuing forth from behind his wide, toothy smile. Think used car salesman and you're about 70% of the way there.

This man tells fortunes, past, present, and future, with alarming precision and specificity. This is known to the townsfolk, but he does not advertise it. If it is mentioned to him, he will frown, and insist that the asker purchase some corn before he will tell their fortune. One tidbit per ear of corn (and except for the fresh, local stuff, which he only has so much of, his corn is not exactly cheap). This will get them one detail, past, present, or future. They may choose the time period but not the detail, and he will get a little huffy if they try to get a specific piece of information out of him (it doesn't work that way! he will protest).

Usage notes:
-Best introduced as a rumor at the tavern, or from someone overhearing the party
-Your abilities as the DM are your ally here; you can use him to feed them backstory information, or lore tidbits you need to introduce, or events you are 100% sure will happen in the future (prophecy, something you've set in motion that the PCs aren't in a position to stop)
-The tidbits do not have to be large or significant; Something as simple as a character's mother's maiden name could be enough to convince them of the accuracy of his predictions, and something like him seeing a PC holding a magic item or macguffin could serve as a future point, or telling them what they'll be eating for breakfast tomorrow

[MintyNinja]

Hadrik (HAY-drik) Bronzefoot

Dwarven Jewelcrafter

Previously exiled for a crime he didn't commit, this master craftsman sees a possible future here and knows that Adventurers attract gemstones like farmers draw flies! He's looking to set up shop and make his fortune catering to these new heroes and the people they draw in.

He can be used as a quest-giver for rare gems, a broker for stolen goods, and an artisan for fine jewelry.

[Flechette63]

Based on one of my current characters (Actually the first time I used my online handle for a DnD character) and her brother:

Out of the clear blue sky, a lightning bolt suddenly streaks across the sky and strikes a nearby tree. The resulting explosion sends splinters everywhere. A voice cries out in alarm

"In the name of Sheela Peryroyl, what the @$#! are you doing Sparky?!"

"Hey, that tree was infected with a damaging and contagious fungus. I needed to get rid of it before it spread!"

"So instead of chopping it down and burning it, you blew it up and sent infected shards all over the neighboring trees?"

"... oopsy!"

Sid "Sparky" Boucher, Stout Halfling Cleric of Sheela Peryroyl
5th level tempest cleric
Feat: Warcaster
Proficient in Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature and Religion

Maintains an animal rescue
Generally found providing veterinary care around the city or assisting farmers on the outskirts of the city
Willing to join adventures to combat threats to the environment around the city, or in exchange for a donation to his animal rescue
Jolly even for a Halfling
Hair is constantly standing on end
Will frequently let the opportunity to throw lightning bolts at things cloud his judgement
Likes to provide his own sound effects
Will be sad if made to fight a bunch of animals

Flechette "Trigger" Boucher, Stout Halfling Fighter
6th level Battlemaster fighter (goading attack, menacing attack, precision attack for maneuvers)
Feats: Crossbow Expert, Sharpshooter
Proficient in Athletics, Stealth, Perception, Survival

Former member of a mercenary group, now working as a freelancer
Frequently found in taverns hustling games of darts
Reluctant to fight sapient creatures without approval from the local authorities. Otherwise willing to assist adventurers for a fee.
Will shoot you in the kneecap (before tossing you a health potion) if you annoy her to much
Has a "Leave no man behind" policy on missions
Follows orders willingly as long as they're not too stupid
Doesn't like chipmunks


Incidentally I like to flavor my Halflings as Cajun (robust culinary tradition, insular communities, a language unique to them) and since Cajun is heavily french influenced, I give them french names >.>

[Drache64]

Chuck the Bugbear magic shop.

Chuck is a Bugbear (or perhaps something more powerful that's chosen to look like a bug bear, in my campaign he was a secretly a copper dragon).

His schtick is that he claims to sell any item the players want and is very very pushy, going so far as to grab the players and whisk them about the shop. He charges them with minor infractions such as restocking fees for items he pulls off the shelf and shoves into their hands.

Player: I'd like a cloak of invisibility
Chuck forcibly grabs the player and thrusts him over to a coat rack of dingy dusty robes and throws it over the players shoulders.
Chuck: there! A cloak of invincibility! Nothing can hurt you!
Player: I said invisibility!
Chuck looks around pretending not to see the player
Chuck: who said that?
Player: I don't want to buy this
Chuck: no problem!
He takes the cloak away.
Chuck: that will be 3 copper for the restocking fee, plus 1 gold piece to recharge the item since you used it to become invisible and invincible.

[Spookykid]

Porkhammer family of dwarves, though they might have adopted non-dwarves

family business is as butchers and make the best bacon around, most are retired adventurers who run the shops and the young ones are usually out exploring

[Capac Amaru]

Drekt

Renegade mindflayer wizard.

Operating out of a secret laboratory in the sewers, this illithid teaches magic and anatomy. He has a few enthralled servants who acquire bodies for their masters manipulation and dissection.

He is very particular about who he teaches, but fear of retribution is usually enough to keep his students... discrete.

[Spiritchaser]

<note, Moz probably fits best in a lower magic campaign>

“Moz” is a leatherworker. No really! At least, that’s what it says on the front of his small shop, located on a narrow street that isn’t exactly in the worst part of town, but you certainly wouldn’t want to be there after dark if you didn’t have to be.

Middle aged, lean and balding, Moz isn’t much to look at. He’s a bit grumpy in the mornings but he genuinely enjoys dealing with customers and likes a bit of friendly haggling. He’s pretty good at it, too, though not abusively so. A good deal benefits everyone. Certainly the local children know he’ll pay them fairly to keep a lookout and keep quiet about things afterwards.

Moz does not, of course limit his bartering to leather goods.

Oh, sure, His back room contains a few items of contraband, enough to excuse his surreptitious ways but not enough for the local constabulary to actually worry about.

What he really trades, are stories...

Information about an old ruin or a myth that might not be a myth. A story about a lost sword that lets it’s holder see in the dark, a book of codes, the name of the spymaster in... wherever.

Moz will sell information, and he’ll sometimes pay a contract to those he feels he can trust to find things out for a customer of his.

He does have some limits though. He won’t deal in information that is likely to result in innocent deaths, at least within the reasonably foreseeable future as Moz perceives it. That spy master? He probably has it coming, seriously... who ever heard of an innocent spy master. the lost sword? Maybe it IS cursed, but an adventurer should be prepared for that risk.

A shipping route, schedules and ship manifests?

No chance. That’s just a recipe for rich pirates and dead sailors.

Moz will also shy away from anything TOO interesting. He’s likely to avoid the attention of any higher powers. Getting him involved in something over his head might require playing to his love of a great secret in order to make him ignore his common sense.

[darknite]

Mira Calverton (human)
Fixer (unaligned)

Mira is a very charismatic former adventurer who has taken up residence in the city. Often found in a comfortable, respectable cafe enjoying a cup of tea and crumpets, she has become quite influential among the civic power players. While careful not to align too strongly with any one element she has become a valued intermediary between factions when normal channels fail. Many of the powerful in the city owe her a favor or two and she carefully manages these resources to their greatest potential. Mira is not above making new friends, either, and can be engaged - for a price (either monetary or obligation) - to provide otherwise difficult-to-obtain access or information.

[intregus]

Nikolai

Bronze dragonborn

Former bard and paladin of Bahamut now retired and runs a church. He speaks with a very think American doing a Russian accent. He’s overly friendly, usually signing(especially the praises of the great platinum dragon) but is always willing to help out anyone he can. He does view his God as the best god but won't fight you over it. He isn’t looking to adventure anymore but would help adventurers or anyone else! He’d also help defend the home he loves most and would participate in any towns guard. Even though he’s a monstrous race he doesn’t care if others treat him differently and he uses his lay on hands to heal people often. He’s everybody’s friend with a high charisma! Everything else is secondary.

[blackjack50]

Mike
Human level 0-1

He is a totally deadpan npc. His job is boring. He basically manages a mid level shipping and receiving business. His job is to make sure that the company has enough carts and horses and mules. He doesn’t have the authority to buy them if they don’t have enough. And he doesn’t have the authority to sell them if they have too many. The most exciting part of his day is when he leaves work., but before he gets home to his angry wife and jerk kids (why do you think his wife is angry?).

He used to have dreams and aspirations. He used to want to be somebody. He has friends and was a witty fun guy. But then he got a job and got married and had a kid. He had to be sensible after all. Sigh.

The players would only run in to Mike in a tavern if he gets fired or leaves his house. Mike isn’t known for his GOOD luck. So maybe he just has a bad day? Maybe he just could take it anymore and had an “emergency” at the office and went to the pub? Or has to stay late? Who knows? Mike is special. Because he isn’t special. The key with playing Mike though? When he interacts with players is that he has to be PAINFULLY boring to the point of annoyance. But the players may pity him? Maybe he says “I just wish I could get away. Or have an adventure.” (something He would be a total liability on). They may try to escape him? But maybe they end up having to deal with him when it comes to getting a cart or a horse...because they have to check with a permitting officer whose job it is to make sure the company knows who hired the cart.

I know. It seems stupid. But it makes for some fun role play. Maybe the players get Mike drunk and have to deal with his wife? Maybe he has something of value he didn’t know about? There are a bunch of ways to spin mike so that players interact with him.

[Misterwhisper]

Mr. Sissk

Yuan-Ti pureblood aberrant sorcerer

Pawnbroker of "The Balanced Scales" and underworld dealer in secrets.

He is heartless, ruthless and greedy. However unlike most of his kin he sees the world through the snake slit eyes of bending the law.
His greed is not measured in gold, or in adoration of his peers, he seeks to hold the secrets of others against them. A consummate manipulator and corruptor.
Through is his myriad of contacts and connections he can get you anything you want, for a price. He seeks payment in secrets and blackmail.

He also has a sidekick in the form of a rather large constrictor snake that he uses as a spy, and sometimes as a means to squeeze info out of people.

Very few people in town would ever cross him for fear of the information he wields.

[Talsin]

Jack the Smarm -aka- Smarmy Jack.
Human
You may find Jack in any Tavern, Gambling Hall, or local Thieves Guild. He wears earth-tones for his primary colors, and a bright red, yellow, and white bandana around his upper arm. He's got a slight grit to his voice, but he tries speaks his words smoothly in a near-legato manner. He'll lean in close to talk with anyone - he's a close-talker by habit - and he's got a habit of enjoying any vice around. He's a gambler (sometimes a cheat, but doesn't often need it), a grifter, a drunk, and a rakish playboy who'll go after anyone who'll have him for a night (Pretty is Pretty, doesn't matter what's underneath). He's usually got his ear to the wall in some way - rumors are a big part of his lifestyle. If he gets into a scrap, he'll throw an ax or two while running away - daggers & knives if he's used both axes. However, he needs to meet an untimely (and surprisingly accidental) death. He might be around the party, even fight alongside them but then next be found at the foot of a flight of stairs with his neck broken from the fall. Or at the base of a tree, or a cliff. Some of his acquaintances have thought of killing him, but none ever really wanted him dead. He's your friend who slept with your sibling and didn't call them back but still shows up for drinks every week and treats you to a drink every time. His statline should be mediocre at best. He's a prodigal professional, not a prudish prodigy. If he's got a class, he's a Thief.

[blackjack50]

Porkhammer family of dwarves, though they might have adopted non-dwarves

family business is as butchers and make the best bacon around, most are retired adventurers who run the shops and the young ones are usually out exploring

Omg I picture a bunch of like heavyset redneck kids and family. Like almost Appalachian turn grocery store workers. Lol.

[blackjack50]

Chuck the Bugbear magic shop.

Chuck is a Bugbear (or perhaps something more powerful that's chosen to look like a bug bear, in my campaign he was a secretly a copper dragon).

His schtick is that he claims to sell any item the players want and is very very pushy, going so far as to grab the players and whisk them about the shop. He charges them with minor infractions such as restocking fees for items he pulls off the shelf and shoves into their hands.

Player: I'd like a cloak of invisibility
Chuck forcibly grabs the player and thrusts him over to a coat rack of dingy dusty robes and throws it over the players shoulders.
Chuck: there! A cloak of invincibility! Nothing can hurt you!
Player: I said invisibility!
Chuck looks around pretending not to see the player
Chuck: who said that?
Player: I don't want to buy this
Chuck: no problem!
He takes the cloak away.
Chuck: that will be 3 copper for the restocking fee, plus 1 gold piece to recharge the item since you used it to become invisible and invincible.

Lmao! I love it. Reminds me of those guys in the mall that try to sell stuff from the kiosks lol

[LibraryOgre]

The players are adventuring around a new continent, where a city has been taking root and growing. They've gotten themselves established, and the city has actual infrastructure and has begun to attract people.

I have been creating a list of potential people to move in, so if you'd like to toss a character into my campaign, I'd love to house them and have the players meet them in the Tavern or about the city! Any amount of descriptors will be accepted, and they can be basically of any race or profession. If They're of a monstrous race, they probably aren't super welcome in the city, but might be able to survive on the outskirts. The only real caveat is if they're going to be above level/CR 6, they can't be wanting to adventure or be happy to help the party without any sort of cost.


Some ones I've developed primarily for AD&D, but can be used in other editions as inspiration:

Falvic is more of an adventure hook than an NPC... (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2017/05/falvic-king-of-rats.html)

Ember can be very useful for building a magical economy. (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2017/02/embers-shoppe-of-magic-and-wizardry.html)

The Long Dark might make an interesting feature for the local area. (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-long-dark.html)

And what city is complete without travelling minstrels? (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2017/02/four-magic-users.html)

[Imbalance]

There's nothing special about Meckle. He just stacks the blocks. Can't talk, work to do. Does he know where what is? Yeah. I mean he should - he layed the foundation. Hahaha - secret vault? BS, nothing more than a vent shaft. But you go ahead and crawl down there, prolly full of rats. When you get stuck, don't call Meckle. He hates rats.

[Corran]

Lelie, the pregnant halfling barmaid.

Lelie has not long since she arrived at the town. She was lucky enough to get a job at the tavern as there was an unexpected opening the the day before she arrived (The previous barmaid, Tina, was last seen skipping town with that wandering merchant that was passing by). Lelie spends most of her free time taking slow strolls through the town, making several stops along the way to socialize, as she would put it. That's the word she is using for gossiping. Or she can be found in her room, resting, maybe while reading her favorite book, the completely unknown of and spectacularly badly written (in halfling!) ''The legendary adventures of Elminster'' by a Jillian Vennet, or Elmunster, as she would typically mispronounce it accidentally. Otherwise, she will be found in her post at the tavern, serving food and drinks, always with a warm smile.

Lelie loves the idea of adventuring, quite possibly something that was influenced by the books she has been reading. Though not an adventurer herself, she is always fascinated to meet people who claim that they are (especially if they are the real deal, as she might say if she overhears something heroic they have done; or claimed to have done), and she is extremelly interested in hearing of their exploits. Reacting with great enthusiasm when hearing of their successes, and becoming really nervous when the ''heroes'' were in danger (probably so nervous that she would interrupt to say something ridiculous, like ''please tell me that in the end you didn't die and left to a place where no one could find you and bring you back to life!?'').

Although it can be pretty evident that Lelie loves the idea of seeing new places and meeting new people, this is not the reason she came here. She fled her home to avoid a marriage that her parents had arranged for her, after they had refused to let her marry her beloved. So she fled, and she is patiently waiting for him to come and find her in this town (he promised...!). ''A new life for the three of us...'', as she would say in a dreamy voice. She will share this information if asked, though this is a topic that she is not enjoying discussing, and possibly the only thing that can make her gloomy sometimes, especially in relation to her family. Though not for long, as sweet Lelie will always find sooner rather than later a reason to put a smile back on her face. Lelie is using a small piece of chalk to count the number of days since she arrived in town, as if this would help her boyfriend get there any faster. 13 and counting...


What she can offer to the pc's:

1) Free drinks, if the pc's regale her with any heroic tales (wont be hard). Though don't expect this to last for long, as her boss will put an end to it when he finds out.

2) Making the pc's aware of the various other NPC's in town. Information. If there is a town rumor or (harmless) secret in town, known by at least two people, there is a good chance that Lelie is one of them. Same goes with random pieces of information that might not have any apparent value at first (eg ''Ooh, did you hear that the mayor was seen going hunting in the forest at night? I heard it's because he secretly meets that man that lives in that hut in the forest. I heard he is a druid, and the mayor is going there to get some herbs. I heard these herbs are supposed to help with his wife not being able to get pregnant. Poor woman... *sighs*''. Though with accidental misinformation tailored in, as apparently the mayor is seeking the druid's help to help cure the son from his first wife, who is inflicted with lycanthropy (rumored to be back in the other continent, secretely living in the mayor's house). If that is something that she knows because Jack the lumberjack told her, and Jack is found dead in the forest (seemingly attacked by some wild animal), then all Lelie might have to say would be ''... at least we are lucky that Mr Mayor was not hunting at that time''. The follow up with the rumor, without realizing its importance, so now it's up to the players if and what they want to do with this intel. She will offer any information the players may need (even if they don't need it) free of any charge, as that's part of her civic duty to her. The hard part might be keeping her on track and not branching out to share unnecessary gossip.

3) If the players help in any way to get her long awaited love to her, or if they do something heroic that serves the town, Lelie will offer her half her coins (10d6 sp), and she might be persuaded to teach them how to speak the halfling tongue (persuasion, DC 15).

================================================== ===

Variant
Lelie is as dim-witted and kind hearted as that pillow strapped on her belly underneath her dress is a baby waiting to be born. Everything told about her so far is a lie. Well, not a lie. A cover. Even the name is false. Her real name is Jillian Vennet, and she is working on behalf of M... well, lets not use any names, you can never be too careful. Let's just say that she is working for her benefactor. So far her tasks were always about the obtaining of information. But her current task was a bit different. It involves the obtaining of an item, and the death of its current owner.

Jillian is looking for another halfling, a man going by the name of Gymnk Arthue.

Gymnk Arthue
Halfling mapmaker/surveyor/planner
Nobody really ever meets Gymnk, but he is sort of ever-present and unnoticed. His short frame is loaded from shin to shoulder with numerous bundles of old maps, spools of string, wooden steaks painted in various colors, tripods, transits, and trail guides, and a dusty, crusty pack full of god knows what. His head is covered with an ordinary hat fitted with clips to attach any number of specialized spyglasses tucked neatly into specialized pouches of his specialized bandolier. If any attention is paid to him at all it is probably because he has, yet again, been mistaken for a heap of miscellany. More often than he recalls, his whole person has been picked up in the midst of his work and loaded onto the back of a cart. On such occasions, he protests by exchanging the map he had been plotting with the road atlas of his current heading and checks it for inaccuracies until he can be returned. Not much of a talker, the most interaction he usually participates in is to see if a person's height is adequate for a given building's doors, or if the headers could be lowered instead.
Gymnk has a map in his possession that her benefactor seems to really want. She does not know the value of the map. She does not know why she has to steal the map and kill Gymnk. She does not even know why she is on a very strict time limit to complete this mission (24 days left to both get the map in her hands and to kill the target; that's why she is counting the days with that piece of chalk; adjust as needed). She only knows how to recognize the map if she sees it, and the name, description and whatever details were deemed necessary for her to know of Gymnk. And to her, that's enough.

She had no trouble getting here fast, though the problem is that Gymnk is nowhere to be found. Best she could learn was that he left two days before she arrived. He was hired by a group of adventurers who wanted someone to help them map the surrounding area. Jyllian is not much of a tracker (neither is she much of a fighter, at least as far as travelling alone in the wilderness goes), so instead of going out in the wilderness ''trying to locate the little s**t'', as she would elegantly put it, she decided to stick around and wait for him. And what better place to do that than in the local tavern? Afterall, the provisions this group of explorers took with them will hardly be enough to last for more than 10 days. Eventually, they will have to return here, in the tavern, if for nothing else, to restock their supplies. Killing Tina (the previous barmaid) without anyone noticing so that she will get her place wasn't hard. Disposing the body and all of her belongings was manageable too. Planting the rumor that Tina was seen leaving town in the company of the wandering merchant, without drawing attention to herself, was a piece of cake.

If Gymnk has not returned in 10 days time, Jillian will start considering hiring someone (could be the pc's) to track him for her. She will probably claim that Gymnk is her long awaited love and the father of her child, filling in details as necessary to make the story as believable as possible (she needs a good excuse for the pc's not to take Gymnk's word over her once or if they find him and he proceeds to claim that he has no idea what and who they are talking about; maybe Gymnk came and found her but only to tell her that he doesn't want to be with her so he wandered of). She will offer gold in return, the least amount that she will think will make the trackers take the job (she can offer up to 700gp -adjust as needed, though offering that amount of coins would make her look very suspicious, so while her cover is intact she wouldn't be offering more than what a wedding and the following feast would cost; cause that's the most her savings would realistically be). If she has trouble finding an excuse for the pc's to return to her Gymnk's possessions (cause at this point she is assuming that Gymnk died out there), or if she has reason to suspect that the pc's wont honor that deal, she will try to convince them allowing her to come along. If unsuccessful at that, she will tail them (at which point I would probably make her level 6 and give her expertise in stealth and perception as well).

Build
Jillian is a 4th level rogue (assassin), with her high scores in intelligence (16), charisma (14-16) and dexterity (14-16). She has expertise with the disuise kit and in deception, and she is also trained in persuasion, stealth, insight, investigation of course with thieves' tools. Fill in as needed, though she has no proficiency in survival, otherwise she might be out trying to track down Gymnk instead of having to resort in hiring others to do so. She hides a dagger and a couple lockpicks on her person.


Optional items
1) Night goggles

2) Book of sending (at least that's how the last few empty pages of the book she is supposedly reading work; in which case she has the linguist feat as well, and she is using cypher for any messages sent; she speaks dwarven, elven and gnomish aside from common and halfling, although she wont reveal this on her own volition). Once she gets the map, she is supposed to copy some of its writing onto her book of sending, after which she has to burn both.

3) One vial containing a rare poison (if she hires the pc's to track Gymnk and she ends up tagging along, replace this item with a potion of invisibility or something similar).

[Fnissalot]

Grankh Mofta
Orc
Dockworker, Moonlights as hair and fashion stylist.

Few respects the taste and fashion of Grankh Mofta, which has left him doing heavier jobs in the city harbor. His muscles are easier to spot then his stylist senses. It is and should be unclear if he lacks any taste, or is subjected to prejudices against an orc's sense of fashion and style. But it is no secret that he lives for making sure that those around him dress according to the seasons styles and what is in this year, as he throws tips and pointers to those that approach him. He dreams of starting his own fashion saloon, and gladly trades in rumors and whispers to get the funds for it... as long as you are dressed well enough. So far it is limited to some hairstyling in the local pubs or lending his taste to those who shop for a new wardrobe.

"But darling, owlbear-trims are so last winter."

"You need to get some umber hulk chitin earrings with that coat"

"I can tell you the word around here once you clean the ooze of your boots."

"Some sailors mentioned that over the ocean, the dragonborn, has started to use silk made from crab innards. Have they truly lost their senses... but I cannot stop wondering what vibrant shade of purple it gives?"

[blackjack50]

Doctor Toadarius Maschio MD
Elf

The local healer/surgeon. He is probably not the best healer out there. He is a total meat head and a jock. He loves to give high fives. He basically hits on anything with a pulse. You hope. You wouldn’t trust him with your life...but what most don’t realize is that he is actually a skilled surgeon and doctor because of his totally mindless stupidity that he shows lets him be one of the best doctors for the simple healing stuff. Just don’t ask him to perform complex tasks.

[Hobbo Jim]

These are great! I'll do my best to add as many as possible. The ones I might not be able to include the Mind Flayer and the bugbear... Mind Flayers are difficult. If he's noticed by the party, he's almost certain to die. The bugbear... well the party has a thing against goblins and goblinoids, but I can try to attribute the personality via a different character. I can probably swing the Yuan-Ti - I don't really have them anywhere in particular in my campaign so he can just be a weirdo haha.

I'll start finding places for all of these people though, and I'm sure the party will be happy to have many new faces in town! I need to create a spreadsheet with all of them now... But rest assured these, and any future postings, I will do my best to introduce them into the city. Hopefully they all survive each other (Woo inter-city drama).

[AdAstra]

For professions, there are definitely cobblers (shoemakers) and coopers (people who make/maintain barrels and casks). You got bakers, bowyers, tinkers/tinsmiths, regular smiths, animal-sellers, charcoal-burners, all kinds of folk. Probably worth a google to find more jobs that I definitely missed.

[8wGremlin]

Old Meg

"The wild is always present, even when most choose not to see it. Men are just another predator, and cities are nothing but their brood pits and hunting grounds. When predators grow too numerous for the prey to support, they starve, or flee, or kill each other off. And when they do, the jungles of stone will find more robust creatures to nourish. Brilliant adaptations to glorious new ways of life will spring from the ashes of the old order, like fresh saplings after a wildfire."

The normal citizens of the city believe she's just some crazy old woman who likes to sleep on unwatched roofs. It never occurs to them that all the access doors are still locked.

Her favourite haunts are the roofs of run-down tenements or the cellars of abandoned warehouses, and she never uses the same lair two nights in a row.

An elderly-looking woman coated in bird droppings and moss, she walks the rooftops and sewers unseen as she seeks out poor and injured rats, spiders, beetles, and pigeons.

She speaks to them, cares for them, and slowly nurses them back to health. But she also teaches them how to understand human speech, shows them how to conceal their knowledge, and forges them into a sprawling network of trained spies and informants.

Her eyes are everywhere. After a while, people don't even notice them. The enlightened know that you never go looking for her. You just find a dark alley and tell a rat, pigeon or spider your problem. If she decides to help you, she already knows where to find you. She knows everything that happens in this town.
And if she knows something she doesn't like, the cellar can only keep you safe for so long.


Appearance
The first thing you notice is the smell, a smells of unwashed people, animals and rain-soaked earth. An elderly-looking woman clothed in layers of furs and leather all covered in bird droppings and moss. her hair is matted and wild, with twigs stuck in it. A huge green iridescent beetle lurks on her shoulder, skittering into her hair at her neckline as you approach.

Possible builds:
Druid, circle of the Shepard
or
Warlock, with Beast speech invocation

[Chaos Jackal]

Voloran Tanor'thal

Drow rogue lv5

Handsome and elegant but with a cruel cut, this grey-skinned, white-haired elf is slightly taller than the standard of his race, his piercing blue eyes regarding everyone with a casual dismissal.


Voloran doesn't like the drow. He doesn't like the surface races either. In fact, Voloran only likes himself. He wants to live the life. He enjoys expensive clothes, fine food and drink and the company of beautiful women. Believing the surface to be a better, safer place for him to further his ambitions than the scheming courts dominated by the priestesses of his kin, he makes his living by doing what others will not do and cannot know.

As unscrupulous as he is arrogant, Voloran is an independent man for hire. His skill with blades and his penchant for guile and cunning along with his ruthless streak make him ideal for many jobs. For the right price (and as long as the employer doesn't challenge his ego) Voloran will slit throats and poison drinks, seduce and swindle rich heiresses, or kidnap the mayor's wife. At the same time, he can play bodyguard or be tasked with rescuing the mayor's wife instead. The nature of the job means little to him. All that matters is the pay.

More at home in the dark, both figuratively and literally, Voloran knows that there are always opportunities for those like him, especially in a growing city where the underground is still forming. Between a glass of wine and a night of delight, he stalks the roofs and alleys. on tasks shady and secret. He asks no questions and answers none. If you have the gold - and the patience - then Voloran is the man for the job.

[Danielqueue1]

Name fournival drake-chest (change drake to whatever the current campaign calls gold pieces)

TL;DR insufferable, absurdly rich mercheant, assassin, resource, plot-hook, villain.

He plays the part of a painfully arrogant mercheant but really he is a murderer for hire. The rich and powerful hire him to furnish and remodel their estates and palaces ("the Zircwood paneling is to DIE for.") And that hides nicely the price for killing off one of their rivals. He actually does furnish the estates too. He will often visit smaller towns to clear out their stores to sell the products in larger cities, (or back to the town at a higher price when that storm he knows about comes the next day. A Lumber mill owner just happens to fall ill imediatley before a town commissions a new Wharf built. And the price for the "medicine" he needs is just enough for the mercheant to get a partnership in the mill.

If the party needs it, he can get it for them. Just don't let the Paladin look to close as to where it came from. Can also be a villain in an intrigue campaign, a red herring, a plot hook, etc. But if no one looks too close, he's just a part of the background noise.

[HeartlessBow]

Old Cromwell

The man they call Old Cromwell runs the Break of Dawn, a well furnished and cozy tavern. The building and furnishings are upscale, the food and drink are high quality, and the lodgings are what you would expect to find in a high-end tavern in a major city. Conversely though, everything is shockingly inexpensive which lead many to speculate the man is a former adventurer. The man's appearance doesn't do anything to detract from theise rumors either. He's definitely over 50, bald with a long graying beard, but underneath that age is the well built physique of someone who has seen a lot of battle and still keeps himself in shape despite his new occupation.

The man is jovial, entertaining patrons with stories of adventurers or giving up and comers rumors of nearby adventures. When he talks about his past one could almost swear they hear a hint of longing, but any offers to adventure lead him to say that life is behind him.

Those who get to know him well enough find he was a level 20 cleric of Pelor who completed his God's mission for him. As a reward he is allowed to live and do as he chooses provided he doesn't interfere with the destinies of newer adventurers. The deal has limits and he can get involved is certain circumstances arise but he never explains what those are.

[darknite]

Atwell Vermis, Chartered Solicitor
[Halfling]

A renown provender of legal advice and representation, Vermis has lent his expertise in the law to many an adventurer who has fallen on the wrong side of criminal and civil codes. He is also skilled in setting up legal constructs, drafting and reviewing contracts as well as managing affairs of estate in the stead of clients often afield. Every good adventuring group should have a good lawyer and, though he is hardly personable, Vermis can be counted on to advocate his clients' interests to their fullest.

[carrdrivesyou]

Glorion Gravekeeper

Hes a variant human with the Grappler and Tavern Brawler feats. He is proficient with everything, including halflings as weapons. He typically wears something akin to a leotard and Luchador mask. He is a bit of a celebrity, and is trying to start a professional wrestling league in the city. He is overzealous in a theatrical way, and wants to put on a show. He has plenty of money in the bank from his adventuring days, and now just wants to spend time entertaining rather than fighting monsters.

[Yakmala]

Caleb
Human
Professional Duelist for Hire

Wentworth's brows furrowed as the mud-soaked bundle of dirty rags leaning against his gilded carriage shifted and moved. By the scent of him, the lowly vagabond hadn't bathed in months, if ever.

"You there! Off with you!" Wentworth growled. His drinking companions moved to accost the filthy unfortunate, but Wentworth halted them with a dismissive wave of his hand. He didn't need his father's muscle to deal with a street rat. "Move along, or else!"

The raggedy man staggered to his feet, swaying as he attempted to find his balance. "A moment, m'lord!" he said, speech slurred. He lifted the folds of his tunic and proceeded to urinate on the carriage door, the stream hitting squarely in the center of Wentworth's family crest.

Wentworth's face turned beet red "You dare!" He shouted. "I should give you the full measure of my blade and be done with you!"

The man turned, as if seeing Wentworth for the first time, his eyes struggling to focus. "You challenging me to a...." He struggled to find the proper word.

"A duel?" One of Wentworth's companions spoke up helpfully.

"Yessh. That thing!" The man replied, leaning against the carriage for support. "I accept!"

Wentworth burst into laughter. "That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard!" He took a moment to compose himself. "Do you even know how to hold a sword?" He felt his anger returning. This scum had wasted enough of his time.

"I do indeed, m'lord." The man replied, his feet still unsteady. "Quite good with my sword. Just ask yer lovely wife!"

Wentworth's anger boiled over. "Enough of this! You heard this filth!" He turned to his companions "You are both witnesses! A duel it is then!" He drew his sword and turned back to the homeless drunkard. He should drag this out, he thought, teach him a lesson, but he was already late and his mistress was waiting. Better to make it quick. A single thrust should do.

Wentworth's jaw went slack, his sword loose in his hand as he turned back to his opponent. "What is this?" He said in confusion.

The dirty rags were discarded. Beneath them, the man wore a fine set of linen clothes with a leather pauldron on his right arm. At his waist, as fine a Rapier as Wentworth had ever seen. The man slowly drew the blade and held it with casual but practiced ease.

"Caleb Ravenwood, at your service." The man smiled. "Your wife, the Lady Penelope, sends her regards." He did a curt bow. Wentworth took note of its exacting formality. "Now as I recall, you just challenged me to a duel. And don't worry, your mistress already knows you won't be visiting tonight, or any night really." He raised the tip of his blade and settled easily into a dueling stance. "Shall we begin?"

Caleb is a professional duelist and occasional charlatan. Unlike many in his profession, who directly challenge their opponents, Caleb prefers to set up situations that lure his mark into challenging him. In this way, when the city guards come calling, there are always witnesses to state that he was the challenged or that he acted purely in self defense.

Proficient in Deception and Disguise, Caleb can be introduced to the party in a number of ways. As an unexpected ally when the party is outnumbered in a tavern, or as someone to bait one of the more reckless members of a party into a fight, especially if that party member has wronged someone else in town who might have hired Caleb.

Caleb is a dexterity based Battle Master who fights with a rapier and buckler using the Duelist fighting style. He should be made whatever level is needed to be challenging or helpful to the party. Good feats include Shield Master and Defensive Duelist.

[Ertwin]

Darcy Woodrow Sparks the Third
Human or half-elf

Snake oil salesman/alchemist

A very personable and charismatic alchemist who has a wagon full of elixirs and curealls, and some actual genuine potions. Most of which fell off the back of another wagon. While a lot of what he sells is cheap to make, and useless for anything but thirst quenching, he does have some skill in alchemy, and can be persuaded to bring out the genuine goods for those with the coin to pay. He also specializes in an electrified beverage, that while very tasty, hurts while going down, but that's part of the appeal. (it's fancy alcohol infused with shocking grasp)

When people get upset and try to attack him over his huckster ways, he's pretty handy with magic missiles, and shocking grasp