NPC Framework - REBORN

Edited on Feb 21, 2025 - Compatible with TLB Reborn - the new TLB engine, public announcement coming up on Feb 23, 2025

Let's craft some abominable creatures, shy sidekicks, endearing minions, and defenseless bystanders.

Like the infamous Dr. Frankenstein assembled the monster, let us create cool, unforgettable, and easy-to-play NPCs. As the All Flesh is Surplus jam approaches, I figured you all might appreciate some tips on how to build cool NPCs for The Lost Bay.

While I'll address some of TLB RPG specifics, most of what you'll read in the following few lines can apply to any game. We're building a framework of sorts. It's not perfect; it might not even be better, but it works for me. It's fast and nimble, without much reliance on data, stats, or rules. It’s helped me a lot, and I hope it might help you as well!

NO STATS

TLB Reborn NPCs are statless.

There are no numerical stats associated with the NPCs. To track how the NPC is doing, like you'd do for playable characters, use Conditions: bleeding, burned, broken arm. Conditions are a freeform way to describe how a NPC is doing physically or otherwise. Now I know you're wondering: but Iko, how do we go about combat? Well, first of all TLB is not a combat centric game. There shouldn't be that many. Weird creatures (called Miracles, monsters) can't be killed. Like Never. So they're out of the equation. Characters might engage in combat with animals or other humans, rarely, why would they, right ? There are no specific actions for combat, it's resolved using the same mechanic as for any other action. The Reborn Action Roll system has an open scope, characters can attempt actions with a limited or broad scope. In combat that would be:

  • limited scope: giving a knife wound to a NPC

  • broad scope: stabbing to death a NPC

The outcome of an action roll will determine the NPC condition. 

Here's an example:

  • limited scope success: you cut the NPC cheek

  • limited success with complication: you kill the NPC

  • broad scope success: you kill the NPC

  • broad success with complication: you wound the NPC and drop your knife

  • failure: you die, one one failed action roll, yeah, you made this happen to you!

It is up to the GM, if needed in dialog with the players, to determine the outcome of a combat. The stakes should be high and proportional to what the players attempt. That should cover it for now.

If you're looking for what a NPC can do, check below.

PERSONALITY

aka Quirks, Mood, Moves and Roles


QUIRKS

We want memorable NPCs, right? Especially when they're not just monsters condemned to be slaughtered. But if you tell me that an NPC has blue skin, a limp, broken teeth, babbles, and who knows how many more details about how they look and act, I'm just going to be overwhelmed with all that information. I need NPCs to hit my emotions so that my brain can record and remember them. To help with this, let's give NPCs just one unique and memorable quirk. Mörk Borg, the core book, is a great inspiration for that. The included Quirk list is amazing.

TLB quirks have to be simple, a few words at most. Examples include things like Barefoot, Exhales flies, and Full facial tattoo. Easy to memorize for both the GM and the players.

MOOD

How's that dude or creature doing right now? The Mood describes the emotional state of the NPC when the PCs encounter them for the first time. And what's the best way to remember and embody an NPC’s mood? That's to let them tell us something about it! In TLB, the mood nomenclature is: 1. a short descriptor and 2. a line of dialogue.

Example:

Needy. "I need a new job. Any job, I need cash, now."

or

Mystical. "Your aura is like a rainbow. You're so beautiful."

That little line of dialog allows GMs to set up the interaction quickly and flavorfully. It may just be a short prompt but helps set the tone, and you can build off of it from there.

MOVES

NPCs by default have between 1 and 3 moves; but they can also have additional moves determined by their Role. 


Moves are where you can really have fun both in terms of building special attacks, or just flavorful actions.

Examples (taken from TLB random encounter tables)

Bored teens. MOVES: Splash soda at each other and laugh | Call you a decrepit schmuck.

Moonshiner. MOVES: Drink from a silver flask | Complain about outsiders.

Moves can also include special attacks.

Possessed traveling salesman. MOVES: Have demonic convulsions (Weird save) | Vibrastab | Vomit burning hot slime and flies 

That's a nasty one!

ROLES

Roles are optional. You'll use them only for important NPCs, usually recurring cast. Roles are TLB substitutes for Reaction. I can't use Reactions. I don't know how to play a NPC who is wary or curious if I don't know why they are like this. How do NPCs contribute to the plot, fiction, story, or emergent narrative? That's where Roles come in. Roles outline the deep personality traits, and sometimes desires, of an NPC. TLB has a table for default roles, but you're encouraged to build roles that fit the adventure or setting.

Example:

Scared Witness. Knows valuable information, reluctant to talk.

or

Fake Samaritan. Pretends to help, covert antagonist.

With just a few words, Roles give you a lot of meat for your NPCs. What a way to build cool interactions with the PCs! You're in a dungeon, you encounter a goblin. Are they a Scared Witness who knows where the dark necromancer is but won't talk, or a Fake Samaritan who'll pretend to help while pursuing a secret agenda (I might’ve just recreated Gollum here!)

In addition to the description, Roles can have MOVES. Moves are really fun building blocks for the NPCs. They can be special attacks (in addition to the default Harm), things they're good at, or anything else.

Fake Samaritan. Pretends to help, covert antagonist. MOVES: Lure to wrong places | Steal precious item | Distill lies (yeah, that is Gollum!)

Let's wrap things up, and build our little framework!

NPC FRAMEWORK

Name, Pronouns
Quirk (one memorable thing)
Mood (descriptor + a line of dialogue)
Move (one or more, flavor or special attack)
Role (descriptor, optional Moves)

Any of those things can be random —I've discussed the TLB random encounter procedure in a previous post— or predetermined.

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