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Fantastic Personalities

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 8:47 pm
by jamesmishler
As there seems to be some interest in NPCs of late, one of the columns that will be added to Adventure Games Journal #2 is Fantastic Personalities, a "Rogues' Gallery" style column, inspired by the classic Judges Guild product, Fantastic Personalities. Each column will feature two or more NPCs from around the Wilderlands.

Additionally, if, after AGJ #2 releases, there is enough interest, I would be happy to add a generic Fantastic Personalities print product to the line-up. I don't think there's enough demand for a book dedicated specifically to just the Wilderlands characters, but a generic book with a section of Wilderlands NPCs... maybe. This would differ from the planned PDFs -- "100 Fighters," "100 Wizards," and so forth -- in that it includes not only stat blocks, but also character descriptions and motivations.

Below is an example NPC. The entry is longer than most entries will be, as it was designed for a different product; additionally, Hasan is a major NPC, the Sultan of Karzulistan. Most entries will be between 500 and 700 words, one page column more or less, including the stat block, for two NPC's per page.

Let me know if this is the kind of NPC detail you are looking for in this kind of product... or more or less!
Hasan ben Sober

Lion of Karzul
CN male Karzulun human 8th level barbarian, HD 8d12+16, HP 80, AC 19 (magical +2 studded leather armor plus +2 magical large wooden shield plus +1 dexterity bonus), Move 30 ft., SL Noble 19 (Sultan of Karzulistan), Str 17*, Dex 14, Con 17*, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16*. Class abilities are native arms & armor (Karzulun types; focused in great scimitar; also proficient with mail shirt, scale mail, breastplate, mail hauberk, broad sword, composite short bow, and battle axe), primal rage, resilience, savage glory, sixth sense, tribal abilities (animal handling (horse), battle cry, scale), Versatility (tribal horsemanship, bardic exalt). His great size and strength enable him to wield the great scimitar in one hand (he is left handed). He wields a magical +2 flaming great scimitar (+12 BtH, 2d6+5 points of damage) and strength-adjusted composite short bow (+8 BtH, 1d6+2 points of damage, 90 ft. range). He speaks Karzulun, Gishmesh, Common Karakhan, and Horse-Born Karakhan. He wears magical +2 leather armor, carries a +2 magical large wooden shield (bearing his device, a golden lion rampant upon a scarlet field), wears his magical +2 flaming great scimitar on a hook upon his belt at all times and his bow and quiver of 20 arrows on his back, wears pantaloons of golden silk, a bright yellow embroidered khalat, a blood red sash with a long dagger, and a blood-red turban. He carries 10 pp, 4 gp, and 10 sp in his belt pouch.

Hasan is a giant among men, standing 78 tall and weighing 340 lbs; but many of the men of the line of Sober are giants, for it was said that Sober was the son of a true giant and a princess. His skin is a dark sun-bronzed brown, save where the scars of many lashes about his shoulders and back stand out white. His eyes are a piercing blue, and his hair a dark brown, though his well-maintained beard is mostly gray and gray has taken over his temples. He is 45 years old, but looks to be in his mid-50s due to long, harsh years of adventuring and a stint as a slave in Karak.

Hasan was born the third son of the third son of the clan shaikh, which meant only that there was little if anything for him to inherit from his clan. Plus, an indiscretion with the eldest daughter of a neighboring clan (which led to the birth of his eldest son), caused him to leave the lands of the Karzulun at the age of 16; hardly a tender age, though, as he already topped seven feet and had slain a dozen older men!

He served as a mercenary in Tarantis under Atar the Lion for three years, quickly rising to the rank of sergeant. During a raid into western Karak the green troops he had been assigned were routed, and Hasan was captured after being dragged down by seven men. For two years thereafter he served as a slave in a mine, often whipped for his insubordination. Eventually he escaped after a major earthquake destroyed most of the mine and killed most of the guards while he was up top unloading ore.

He fled east, where he hooked up with a tribe of Karakhan nomads, and for two years he raided and pillaged with his new blood brothers. Unfortunately, as before, an indiscretion with the khans daughter caught him up; the khan had him poisoned and, while paralyzed, once again sold into slavery.

He was sold to a passing slave merchant and taken to Tarantis, where he was sold to serve as a rower in one of the Tarans slave-powered merchant galleys. No one believed his claims that he was once a servant of the Taran, and so he labored for two more years in slavery, until the ship foundered on the Ebony Coast. Hasan was the only survivor, as he was the only one with the strength to break the weakened bonds that tied him to the ship.

He took his survival on the shores so near his home as a sign from the gods (hes never worried much about which gods), and returned to his tribe. Within a year he ruled his clan; after 10 years he had united a dozen clans under his banner, and earned the name Lion of Karzul through his raids into the Tarantine province of Ganzir-Galad. Another 10 years and a dozen major victories later, and almost the whole of the Karzulun are united under his rule.

Hasans next goals are unknown to all, even himself. He has listened to the disparate ravings of the various priests of the clans, but none of their strange prophecies seem to spark an interest. Now that he has an entire kingdom, hes not quite sure what to do with it. He wants revenge on the Taran for being abused as a slave on his galley, and he certainly wants to regain the lands of Ganzir-Galad, stolen from his people centuries ago. He remains undecided as to whether to conquer and rule or destroy and plunder Tarantis.
Disposition

1) Angry

2) Sly

3) Amorous

4) Helpful

5) Hot-Tempered

6) Drunk

[Hasan ben Sober first appeared in Tarantis, designed by Bob Bledsaw.]
_________________
James Mishler

Main Man, Adventure Games Publishing
[email protected]
http://adventuregamespublishing.blogspot.com/
http://jamesmishler.blogspot.com

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:46 pm
by dunbruha
I love this kind of stuff! Bring it on.

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 10:17 pm
by Omote
Looking forward to AGJ#2. Big time.

~O
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:44 am
by Sir Osis of Liver
Yeah, I'm always a fan of this sort of product. Looking forward to it.