NPC Wish List [Archive] - Wizards Community

NPC Wish List [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Steelwind
09-09-07, 02:53 AM Hello all, with the impending doom of 4e (for many NPC's that is ;) ) I am wondering what NPC's you all wish to see repreived from the gallows. Personally two of my favorite NPC's have already bitten the proverbial dust in Khelben and Halaster. Also since we dont know exactly how far the timeline will be advanced, anywhere from 10 to 100 years, that puts most humans in sketchy teritory. So for me my list is as follows:

Elaith Craulnober(definately at the top of my list)
Piergeiron Paladinson(if the timeline is only advanced 10 years and not 100)
Amlauril Moonflower
Manshoon(which in some form I'm sure he will)
Erevis Cale

Now let me know which NPC's are on your lists.
Lord Karsus
09-09-07, 09:52 AM Hello all, with the impending doom of 4e (for many NPC's that is ;) ) I am wondering what NPC's you all wish to see repreived from the gallows. Personally two of my favorite NPC's have already bitten the proverbial dust in Khelben and Halaster.

-Let Khelben be dead in peace. He's earned it.

Also since we dont know exactly how far the timeline will be advanced, anywhere from 10 to 100 years, that puts most humans in sketchy teritory. So for me my list is as follows:

Elaith Craulnober(definately at the top of my list)
Piergeiron Paladinson(if the timeline is only advanced 10 years and not 100)
Amlauril Moonflower
Manshoon(which in some form I'm sure he will)
Erevis Cale

-Of that list, I doubt that Elaith and Amlauril will be dead. The Paladinson, yeah, he'll be dead. Manshoon? Well, there's just so many of him that it's inevitable. Cale? I'm not too sure about that one. I guess we need to wait for the last book in the Twilightwar trilogy.
Caltob
09-09-07, 03:07 PM Jarlaxle Baenre
Drasek Riven
Elaith Craulnober
Artemis Entreri
Erevis Cale
Athrogate
And while he doesn't necesserly has to be alive, Gromph Baenre.
KnightoftheWhiteRose
09-10-07, 05:53 PM Wulfgar is my choice and im sticking to it!:evillaugh
Burzmali
09-10-07, 09:10 PM Jarlaxle
Artemis Entreri
Athrogate
Elaith Craulnober
Gromph Baenre
Amlauril Moonflower
Pikel Bouldershoulder
Pwent
MerrikCale
09-10-07, 11:05 PM hopefully, they will bump off all seven sisters
DarkSongKnight
09-11-07, 02:24 AM hopefully, they will bump off all seven sisters

I hope they'll keep Qilue, Alustriel, and the Simbul. The others I can see go, if I must... :(
The Simbul
09-13-07, 04:28 AM I hope they'll keep Qilue, Alustriel, and the Simbul. The others I can see go, if I must... :(Whereas I am willing to concede none of them.

If the seven sisters--or virtually any other prominent, established NPCs-- are going to be artificially written off in contrived scenarios to appease either;

A) the Mystra-hate mob.
B) the crowds of Eberron refugees who believe everything should be a level 1 Commoner.
C) DMs too lacking in the minuscule amount of creativity to explain why the town guard or the town heroes are unavailable to assist the players in a dungeon crawl/adventure/war campaign without authors holding their hand through the process.

..then I imagine perhaps it will likely be high time for me to finally forget the Forgotten Realms, at least in terms of pouring anymore interest, time, energy, or personal funds into new versions of the setting.

More broadly, I do not believe ANY of the well established NPCs in the Forgotten Realms should be artificially eliminated as part and parcel to any transition to 4E--either through the "gamers-as-spectators" medium of novels, or through the "gamers-as-spectators" medium of adventures with virtually unalterable cut-scene deaths in the prologue (Expedition to Undermountain), or as a requirement to advance the plot (Shadowdale: the Scouring of the Land).

Even the most inexperienced or even dim-witted DM could come up with a hundred scenarios with which to eliminate any or all of the NPCs, regions, events, or other elements of the campaign setting that they have a personal distaste for. Even beyond that, they still have Rule 1, which lets them re-write anything in the setting to their wishes. It takes far more time and effort to create background characters, regions, histories, cultures, and other elements of the setting than it does to destroy (or artificially omit) them. As a DM, I do not have time to create a world as vast as Faerûn--hence the reason that I buy every accessory I can. As DMs in general, people aught to gravitate towards settings with vast amounts of pre-established histories, regions, adventure sites, enemies, allies, contacts, organizations, patrons, and cohorts---so they do not have to waste time creating these things themselves. If someone does not like something in the realms, then they should eliminate o revise it in their own campaign. It should not translate into massive campaign setting alteration that is forced upon all the people who actually like the realms THE WAY IT IS.

Regardless of any official events or contrived timeline advancement, all of the Seven Sisters will either be retained--or restored where applicable--in my campaign. Likewise, any prominent villains---from Zulkirs, to Shade Princes, to Mad Mages of Undermountain---will be foiled or ultimately defeated by my PLAYERS---not by a novel trilogy, adventure prologue, or any potential upheavals the setting will may or may not suffer vis-à-vis 4E.
ShadezofDis
09-14-07, 10:25 AM I'm throwing in my agreement with the Simbul.

Especially the part about not having time to detail a setting, in almost every case I wish there was MORE detail, not less.
Karsus the Mad
09-14-07, 10:31 AM hopefully, they will bump off all seven sisters
Genuinely disliking the seven sisters is no reason to bump them off. Who else can get a reused <insert name> to scream <insert quote> ending with "The Simbul is come!" in numerous publications?
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
09-14-07, 12:26 PM If someone does not like something in the realms, then they should eliminate o revise it in their own campaign. It should not translate into massive campaign setting alteration that is forced upon all the people who actually like the realms THE WAY IT IS.

AMEN.

I agree with pretty much everything the Simbul said. I like the powerful characters in the setting--they help make the setting what it is, and I just don't get the sudden, seemingly arbitrary need to kill them off.
Karsus the Mad
09-14-07, 05:18 PM I am wondering what NPC's you all wish to see repreived from the gallows.
Karsus of Netheril.
:hides: someone had to say it....
MarkusTay63
09-14-07, 06:07 PM AthrogateThey've made a point of saying that Athrogate was far older then he appears (he was already past 300 in RotP), so unless something strange happens to him, he can't possibly be alive if the timeline gets the 'century' treatment. However, it appears we are getting a reprieve and it will only be the decade or so we were hoping for.

If thats the case, we must remember that Jarlaxle and company are mercenaries, interested in the surface Realms at this point, and are starting to lean toward chaotic good.

With that in mind, I could see Bruenor or Alustriel hiring them in the next Drizzt series (Orc King), or even Obould (to help represent 'Orcish Rights').

In fact, I could see Jarlaxle being very instrumental in making piece between the factions in the north - he lives for those kinds of challenges.
ShadezofDis
09-14-07, 06:44 PM If thats the case, we must remember that Jarlaxle and company are mercenaries, interested in the surface Realms at this point, and are starting to lean toward chaotic good.

Ummm. . . you can't be referring to Bregan D'aerthe, just in the folks he's chilling with as of RotP (which I haven't read yet) then I'll buy CG.

I wouldn't put Jarlaxle at CG though, he'll live for a few more centuries, the actions of a couple of years don't balance, nor are indicative of, a life of evil. Even mitigated by his surroundings he's still a creep, and a Lolthite. :)
Lord Karsus
09-14-07, 10:30 PM Karsus of Netheril.
:hides: someone had to say it....

-I like you just the way you are...
Eli_the_Tanner
09-14-07, 10:51 PM Larloch!!:emp:

I would like to see some developments with him and Szass - even if it's just a short story about their relationship, any more glimpses of the Shodow-king would be great.
Karsus the Mad
09-14-07, 10:54 PM ummm...Larloch's not dead...well...he is...but he's still kicking...errmmm...you know what I mean...:)
Eli_the_Tanner
09-14-07, 11:15 PM Aye, and I say we keep him that way. The most disastourous thing that could happen to Larloch would be him ceasing to be dead, or would it be ceasing to be undead - which is a double negative... rather fitting really! Let's keep him in his crypt plotting away, and keep the successful dead.... alive!?

The mind boggles at the linguist paradoxes of being undead.
Phaele
09-18-07, 02:02 PM Too many to list. I agree with the two incarnations of Karsus posting, I want to see him. I want to see a better, read: 3.5 non-neutered Larloch. Other than that Cattie-Brie would be nice, and possibly Alissza from the Empyrean Odyssey/Spider Queen Series. Preferably *before* 4e happens and every Realms Notable except Moander, Szass Tam and all of King Azoun's Bastards die.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
09-19-07, 01:55 PM And Shar. You forgot Shar. She will of course stick around because she is so powerful and so cool and oh-so-much BETTER than Mystra!

Yes, I am being sarcastic...
Lord Karsus
09-19-07, 02:34 PM And Shar. You forgot Shar.

-Portfolio sense, or whatever it's called, in action!
MerrikCale
09-19-07, 11:05 PM And Shar. You forgot Shar. She will of course stick around because she is so powerful and so cool and oh-so-much BETTER than Mystra!

Yes, I am being sarcastic...

Shar is better than Mystra, or, at least, more interesting
Karsus the Mad
09-20-07, 02:32 AM And Shar. You forgot Shar. She will of course stick around because she is so powerful and so cool and oh-so-much BETTER than Mystra!

Yes, I am being sarcastic...
Ummm....she sorta kinda maybe is? :P
Well, better than Midnight imho. Mystra I was the bestest Mystra tho'. And Mystryl beats both, and Shar:cloud9:
That'd be something I could stomach. After Mystra II goes pop, Shar battles with Selune. Repeat ancient history. Mystryl pops back into existence:eek:
ShadezofDis
09-20-07, 09:28 AM Shar was better than Mystra, until she started acting like a jumped up mortal as well.

KtM summed it up best in the "Save the Realms" thread. :)

Oh, I do enjoy the fact that Mystra had to give up her "Midnightness" though, that was good. First few years of Goddesshood spent bein an idiot, realization of just how big an idiot she was being was crammed down her throat, she stopped being such a bit idiot.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
09-20-07, 01:27 PM Yes, definitely, Shar is way cooler than Mystra (not).

I'm not a fan of Midnight so much as I am a fan of the concept of Mystra and her Weave, and annoyed out how Shar has been so easily trumping her as of late.
Phelf_Der_Zemit
09-20-07, 08:13 PM Shall the gods strike me but I must say..

Phauren Mizzrym (Miracle baby!)

Artimis Entrei (Shade May Thee Lengthen Yee's Life)

Qarlynd Mearln (not spelled right)

One Dwarf from the Battlehamer clan, maybe even some of the guys from Fellbar in the Hunter triolagy, and/or *crosses fingers* Pickle and Ivan.
Burningspear
09-20-07, 10:00 PM I would like to see:

*Maalthiir, back in power/ never left, still kicking, but not to megalomaniacal as some others, a nice neutral power scheming merchant mage he always was :).
*Lord Orgauth back alive and kicking as well, maybe in league with Maalthiir and plotting to regain some measure of power in the Moonsea region, but from afar/ safe from the Zentharim.
*Semmemon, no particular reason needed, he is just cool :)

*Unther at least 60% free from a Pharao.

*King Haedrak III of Tethyr as a decent lvl mage16+ and kicking more political
ass.

*Scyllua Darkhope is a sad excuse and should be 'erased', and Teldorn Darkhope of Mintar should be a tad more powerfull and just settled in that village consolidating power and building the city more out.

my 6,5 cookies :plotting:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Steelwind 09-09-07, 02:53 AM	Hello all, with the impending doom of 4e (for many NPC's that is ;) ) I am wondering what NPC's you all wish to see repreived from the gallows. Personally two of my favorite NPC's have already bitten the proverbial dust in Khelben and Halaster. Also since we dont know exactly how far the timeline will be advanced, anywhere from 10 to 100 years, that puts most humans in sketchy teritory. So for me my list is as follows: Elaith Craulnober(definately at the top of my list) Piergeiron Paladinson(if the timeline is only advanced 10 years and not 100) Amlauril Moonflower Manshoon(which in some form I'm sure he will) Erevis Cale Now let me know which NPC's are on your lists.
Lord Karsus 09-09-07, 09:52 AM	Hello all, with the impending doom of 4e (for many NPC's that is ;) ) I am wondering what NPC's you all wish to see repreived from the gallows. Personally two of my favorite NPC's have already bitten the proverbial dust in Khelben and Halaster. -Let Khelben be dead in peace. He's earned it. Also since we dont know exactly how far the timeline will be advanced, anywhere from 10 to 100 years, that puts most humans in sketchy teritory. So for me my list is as follows: Elaith Craulnober(definately at the top of my list) Piergeiron Paladinson(if the timeline is only advanced 10 years and not 100) Amlauril Moonflower Manshoon(which in some form I'm sure he will) Erevis Cale -Of that list, I doubt that Elaith and Amlauril will be dead. The Paladinson, yeah, he'll be dead. Manshoon? Well, there's just so many of him that it's inevitable. Cale? I'm not too sure about that one. I guess we need to wait for the last book in the Twilightwar trilogy.
Caltob 09-09-07, 03:07 PM	Jarlaxle Baenre Drasek Riven Elaith Craulnober Artemis Entreri Erevis Cale Athrogate And while he doesn't necesserly has to be alive, Gromph Baenre.
KnightoftheWhiteRose 09-10-07, 05:53 PM	Wulfgar is my choice and im sticking to it!:evillaugh
Burzmali 09-10-07, 09:10 PM	Jarlaxle Artemis Entreri Athrogate Elaith Craulnober Gromph Baenre Amlauril Moonflower Pikel Bouldershoulder Pwent
MerrikCale 09-10-07, 11:05 PM	hopefully, they will bump off all seven sisters
DarkSongKnight 09-11-07, 02:24 AM	hopefully, they will bump off all seven sisters I hope they'll keep Qilue, Alustriel, and the Simbul. The others I can see go, if I must... :(
The Simbul 09-13-07, 04:28 AM	I hope they'll keep Qilue, Alustriel, and the Simbul. The others I can see go, if I must... :(Whereas I am willing to concede none of them. If the seven sisters--or virtually any other prominent, established NPCs-- are going to be artificially written off in contrived scenarios to appease either; A) the Mystra-hate mob. B) the crowds of Eberron refugees who believe everything should be a level 1 Commoner. C) DMs too lacking in the minuscule amount of creativity to explain why the town guard or the town heroes are unavailable to assist the players in a dungeon crawl/adventure/war campaign without authors holding their hand through the process. ..then I imagine perhaps it will likely be high time for me to finally forget the Forgotten Realms, at least in terms of pouring anymore interest, time, energy, or personal funds into new versions of the setting. More broadly, I do not believe ANY of the well established NPCs in the Forgotten Realms should be artificially eliminated as part and parcel to any transition to 4E--either through the "gamers-as-spectators" medium of novels, or through the "gamers-as-spectators" medium of adventures with virtually unalterable cut-scene deaths in the prologue (Expedition to Undermountain), or as a requirement to advance the plot (Shadowdale: the Scouring of the Land). Even the most inexperienced or even dim-witted DM could come up with a hundred scenarios with which to eliminate any or all of the NPCs, regions, events, or other elements of the campaign setting that they have a personal distaste for. Even beyond that, they still have Rule 1, which lets them re-write anything in the setting to their wishes. It takes far more time and effort to create background characters, regions, histories, cultures, and other elements of the setting than it does to destroy (or artificially omit) them. As a DM, I do not have time to create a world as vast as Faerûn--hence the reason that I buy every accessory I can. As DMs in general, people aught to gravitate towards settings with vast amounts of pre-established histories, regions, adventure sites, enemies, allies, contacts, organizations, patrons, and cohorts---so they do not have to waste time creating these things themselves. If someone does not like something in the realms, then they should eliminate o revise it in their own campaign. It should not translate into massive campaign setting alteration that is forced upon all the people who actually like the realms THE WAY IT IS. Regardless of any official events or contrived timeline advancement, all of the Seven Sisters will either be retained--or restored where applicable--in my campaign. Likewise, any prominent villains---from Zulkirs, to Shade Princes, to Mad Mages of Undermountain---will be foiled or ultimately defeated by my PLAYERS---not by a novel trilogy, adventure prologue, or any potential upheavals the setting will may or may not suffer vis-à-vis 4E.
ShadezofDis 09-14-07, 10:25 AM	I'm throwing in my agreement with the Simbul. Especially the part about not having time to detail a setting, in almost every case I wish there was MORE detail, not less.
Karsus the Mad 09-14-07, 10:31 AM	hopefully, they will bump off all seven sisters Genuinely disliking the seven sisters is no reason to bump them off. Who else can get a reused <insert name> to scream <insert quote> ending with "The Simbul is come!" in numerous publications?
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 09-14-07, 12:26 PM	If someone does not like something in the realms, then they should eliminate o revise it in their own campaign. It should not translate into massive campaign setting alteration that is forced upon all the people who actually like the realms THE WAY IT IS. AMEN. I agree with pretty much everything the Simbul said. I like the powerful characters in the setting--they help make the setting what it is, and I just don't get the sudden, seemingly arbitrary need to kill them off.
Karsus the Mad 09-14-07, 05:18 PM	I am wondering what NPC's you all wish to see repreived from the gallows. Karsus of Netheril. :hides: someone had to say it....
MarkusTay63 09-14-07, 06:07 PM	AthrogateThey've made a point of saying that Athrogate was far older then he appears (he was already past 300 in RotP), so unless something strange happens to him, he can't possibly be alive if the timeline gets the 'century' treatment. However, it appears we are getting a reprieve and it will only be the decade or so we were hoping for. If thats the case, we must remember that Jarlaxle and company are mercenaries, interested in the surface Realms at this point, and are starting to lean toward chaotic good. With that in mind, I could see Bruenor or Alustriel hiring them in the next Drizzt series (Orc King), or even Obould (to help represent 'Orcish Rights'). In fact, I could see Jarlaxle being very instrumental in making piece between the factions in the north - he lives for those kinds of challenges.
ShadezofDis 09-14-07, 06:44 PM	If thats the case, we must remember that Jarlaxle and company are mercenaries, interested in the surface Realms at this point, and are starting to lean toward chaotic good. Ummm. . . you can't be referring to Bregan D'aerthe, just in the folks he's chilling with as of RotP (which I haven't read yet) then I'll buy CG. I wouldn't put Jarlaxle at CG though, he'll live for a few more centuries, the actions of a couple of years don't balance, nor are indicative of, a life of evil. Even mitigated by his surroundings he's still a creep, and a Lolthite. :)
Lord Karsus 09-14-07, 10:30 PM	Karsus of Netheril. :hides: someone had to say it.... -I like you just the way you are...
Eli_the_Tanner 09-14-07, 10:51 PM	Larloch!!:emp: I would like to see some developments with him and Szass - even if it's just a short story about their relationship, any more glimpses of the Shodow-king would be great.
Karsus the Mad 09-14-07, 10:54 PM	ummm...Larloch's not dead...well...he is...but he's still kicking...errmmm...you know what I mean...:)
Eli_the_Tanner 09-14-07, 11:15 PM	Aye, and I say we keep him that way. The most disastourous thing that could happen to Larloch would be him ceasing to be dead, or would it be ceasing to be undead - which is a double negative... rather fitting really! Let's keep him in his crypt plotting away, and keep the successful dead.... alive!? The mind boggles at the linguist paradoxes of being undead.
Phaele 09-18-07, 02:02 PM	Too many to list. I agree with the two incarnations of Karsus posting, I want to see him. I want to see a better, read: 3.5 non-neutered Larloch. Other than that Cattie-Brie would be nice, and possibly Alissza from the Empyrean Odyssey/Spider Queen Series. Preferably before 4e happens and every Realms Notable except Moander, Szass Tam and all of King Azoun's Bastards die.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 09-19-07, 01:55 PM	And Shar. You forgot Shar. She will of course stick around because she is so powerful and so cool and oh-so-much BETTER than Mystra! Yes, I am being sarcastic...
Lord Karsus 09-19-07, 02:34 PM	And Shar. You forgot Shar. -Portfolio sense, or whatever it's called, in action!
MerrikCale 09-19-07, 11:05 PM	And Shar. You forgot Shar. She will of course stick around because she is so powerful and so cool and oh-so-much BETTER than Mystra! Yes, I am being sarcastic... Shar is better than Mystra, or, at least, more interesting
Karsus the Mad 09-20-07, 02:32 AM	And Shar. You forgot Shar. She will of course stick around because she is so powerful and so cool and oh-so-much BETTER than Mystra! Yes, I am being sarcastic... Ummm....she sorta kinda maybe is? :P Well, better than Midnight imho. Mystra I was the bestest Mystra tho'. And Mystryl beats both, and Shar:cloud9: That'd be something I could stomach. After Mystra II goes pop, Shar battles with Selune. Repeat ancient history. Mystryl pops back into existence:eek:
ShadezofDis 09-20-07, 09:28 AM	Shar was better than Mystra, until she started acting like a jumped up mortal as well. KtM summed it up best in the "Save the Realms" thread. :) Oh, I do enjoy the fact that Mystra had to give up her "Midnightness" though, that was good. First few years of Goddesshood spent bein an idiot, realization of just how big an idiot she was being was crammed down her throat, she stopped being such a bit idiot.
Rinonalyrna Fathomlin 09-20-07, 01:27 PM	Yes, definitely, Shar is way cooler than Mystra (not). I'm not a fan of Midnight so much as I am a fan of the concept of Mystra and her Weave, and annoyed out how Shar has been so easily trumping her as of late.
Phelf_Der_Zemit 09-20-07, 08:13 PM	Shall the gods strike me but I must say.. Phauren Mizzrym (Miracle baby!) Artimis Entrei (Shade May Thee Lengthen Yee's Life) Qarlynd Mearln (not spelled right) One Dwarf from the Battlehamer clan, maybe even some of the guys from Fellbar in the Hunter triolagy, and/or crosses fingers Pickle and Ivan.
Burningspear 09-20-07, 10:00 PM	I would like to see: Maalthiir, back in power/ never left, still kicking, but not to megalomaniacal as some others, a nice neutral power scheming merchant mage he always was :). Lord Orgauth back alive and kicking as well, maybe in league with Maalthiir and plotting to regain some measure of power in the Moonsea region, but from afar/ safe from the Zentharim. Semmemon, no particular reason needed, he is just cool :) Unther at least 60% free from a Pharao. King Haedrak III of Tethyr as a decent lvl mage16+ and kicking more political ass. Scyllua Darkhope is a sad excuse and should be 'erased', and Teldorn Darkhope of Mintar should be a tad more powerfull and just settled in that village consolidating power and building the city more out. my 6,5 cookies :plotting: