curious about NPCs

[Jiggs]

i've wondered, do you guys (staff) maintain standard personality traits for each NPC in game that you all can see somewhere?

in other words, if my toon interacts with a merchant that the DM plays, are you guys all working off a personality script for that particular NPC? does he have a background that you all adhere to? Is the bar maid a rape victim who is sheepish, never boisterous? Is the Merchant League captain an unethical scoundrel who worships Shar? etc. etc.

Please note: I ask because I have no idea how that's handled here, not because I notice any particular pattern one way or the other.

[Rumple C]

Is the Merchant League captain an unethical scoundrel who worships Shar?

Jiggs knows to much, ready the Shar ninjas!

[Jiggs]

Is the Merchant League captain an unethical scoundrel who worships Shar?

Jiggs knows to much, ready the Shar ninjas!

Ha! ...

Just in case: If that's relevant somehow, I swear it's completely coincidental, as that was entirely hypothetical.

[CloudDancing]

Some early Wynna made NPCS come with a bio text item in their inventories, like the members of the Lady's College.

I always try to write out how I play characters in my journals and I suppose when I leave, i'll write one for my custom/retired NPCS I have made over the years.

BUT it IS very annoying to meet a new DM and its like meeting a new NPC again, and they are a crabby ass meanie with no cool accent or personality.

Let me say, not every NPC is mean, crabby, or says no to everything OR has to make everything difficult. It gets pretty sad when certain dms impress that personality on every single NPC they posses.

For example: Lathanderites are not mean or haughty or crabby as a PRACTICE of their faith of Lathander. Lathander is the kindest and most forgiving of all the Gods that extends compassion to all living creatures. Why their priests in Beregost charge for ANYTHING (being so rich to own a town and all industry in the area) is absolultely counter to any lore on the church or their dogma. But time and time again I faced with haughty bitch priests who grub for gold. Seriously!

So my advice is LONG before you get to the NPC, tell the new DM your relationship with the NPC in a brief paraphrase. This will help the outcome as influence and past good deeds should count toward something in a persistant world.

The worst way to do it is wait, then be all hurt the NPC did'nt know you and acted differently. Dms are'nt magical people and we often don't communicate well to each other being in different time zones.

So communicate and hope the Dm is'nt a crabby brat at heart that infuses that into everything they do.

[Ronan]

We record notable interactions and relationships with notable NPCs.

DMs also typically have their own NPCs who only they play.

Some NPCs have their personalities recorded, either in-game or in-forums. All of our Lathanderite NPCs have in-game personality tokens.

Father Richar (the "manager" of the Song of the Morning), while not exactly crabby, is not a typical cheery Lathanderite. He's stoic and stern. Not sure if this is what CD was referring to or not.

Priests know that adventurers are wealthy and can afford to donate. Commoners in Beregost would get free (or free-ish, maybe they donate a goat or get evil stares?) healing from Lathanderites, and travelling Ilmateri might refuse gold from even adventurers (or quickly distribute it to local poor).

I always have good-aligned priests heal mortal wounds, poisons or diseases at no cost, though they might hint at wanting a donation. Most would probably rather save their magic than cast it on wounds which would heal naturally (unless sustained in service to their cause).

[Jiggs]

good to know, thanks.

[paazin]

For example: Lathanderites are not mean or haughty or crabby as a PRACTICE of their faith of Lathander. Lathander is the kindest and most forgiving of all the Gods that extends compassion to all living creatures. Why their priests in Beregost charge for ANYTHING (being so rich to own a town and all industry in the area) is absolultely counter to any lore on the church or their dogma. But time and time again I faced with haughty b*tch priests who grub for gold. Seriously!

I think you might have your information wrong here. They don't give out free stuff willy-nilly; instead they help those who show initiative and follow Lathander's dogma of being active and entrepreneurial. On the matter of demeanor of some clerics, it's just how they are: not all Lathanderites are cheery and not all Tyrrans are stern.

[Darkmystic]

Not all Malarites are mean and not all Selenuites are nice

[dergon darkhelm]

One of the things I've been impressed with is how Father Bogo of Lowhill has been consistently played throughout Hully's ineractions with him, despite having 5 different DMs play him at various times.

I'm not sure if it's in the MS DM forums somewhere, or just organic, but it's worked!

[Jiggs]

One of the things I've been impressed with is how Father Bogo of Lowhill has been consistently played throughout Hully's ineractions with him, despite having 5 different DMs play him at various times.

I'm not sure if it's in the MS DM forums somewhere, or just organic, but it's worked!

precisely my aim in asking ... glad to hear.

[shad0wfax]

I've only met a member of The Flaming Fist that wasn't a total jerk once; the sole exception was behaving suspiciously and had a crush on Persephone.

[Zelknolf]

I don't think it's fair to pick on the rank and file guys for inconsistency? There's 2000 dudes in the Flaming Fist, and they're really only united in that they're all willing to kill things for money, have the sanction of powerful folk, and generally lean lawful. Imagine what Blackwater would be like if we elected Erik Prince president sort of thing.

[MaskedIllusion]

I have personally seen Bently mirrorshade played by almost every dm on this server (sense my time here), including some past dms. And in my rp's with him he has like 5 split personalities, depending whos dming at the time.

[Ithildur]

He's a gnome.

[Brokenbone]

Was that some kind of gnomophobic slander?