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 Question Concerning a 2nd Ed. Night Below NPC
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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe

USA
106 Posts

Posted - 12 Feb 2010 :  21:20:30  Show Profile  Visit BlackDragonKarameikos's Homepage Send BlackDragonKarameikos a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I'm running a 3.5 campaign and am using the 2nd Ed. boxed set "The Grand Dungeon Night Below" which I have updated, and I would like a little input on one particular NPC.

In the main book it says that I should use the optinal training and leveling advancement where they have to find someone to train them for them to be able to level up. And I am doing that.

The NPC in question is Oleanne, the Feral Druid. Do you think she would be willing to take on an apprentice (I have 2 druids in my group)?

I could just say yes and go with that, but I want to see what the learned scribes and DM's here at Candlekeep have to say about this.

Thauramarth
Senior Scribe

United Kingdom
734 Posts

Posted - 13 Feb 2010 :  08:46:31  Show Profile Send Thauramarth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Ah! The Night Below! Good tiiiimes!

I'd say there's no reason why Oleanne would not train a druid PC. As described, she may be feral, but she's not antisocially feral. she works with the PCs and Kuiper to help Maxim. If they do well, she might become a bit appreciative of them. I would say that, yes, she'd train them, but against payment (in kind). I am assuming that your druid PCs are a bit more civilized in outlook, and willing to travel a bit, whereas I picture Oleanne as being unwilling to venture out of her wilderness. She could require them to deal with some civilized threats (a gang of poachers who are based in a village, for instance, where she would be ill at ease, or more orcs/goblinoids based in underground caverns or ruins).

If you want to roleplay part of the training, I'd give her the same attitude as Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back - grouchy, and perhaps a bit dismissive of "civilized" druids that have gone "soft."
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Jorkens
Great Reader

Norway
2950 Posts

Posted - 13 Feb 2010 :  10:48:47  Show Profile Send Jorkens a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I agree. Oleanne might be very sceptical until they have earned their trust, but if the pc's manage that ( of example by helping the were-bear) I see no reason as to why she wouldn't help. Her pay would most likely be in getting them to help unless there is something to be found in the Underdark that would really interest her.

They would of course have to return to the surface though, as I can hardly see her joining them in the Underdark for any reason.
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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe

USA
106 Posts

Posted - 14 Feb 2010 :  03:33:42  Show Profile  Visit BlackDragonKarameikos's Homepage Send BlackDragonKarameikos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yes, Night Below is a VERY GOOD time, especially for the DM.

So here is another question for you guys.

Apart from Shiraz, who will NOT go into cities, villages, or into the underdark because she is Claustrophobic, Garyld because he is lame, or Tauster, because he does not want his old guildmaster to find him, which of the other NPC's that the PC's interact with (e.g. Oleanne, Kuiper, Garyld) do you think would be willing to go into the underdark with them?

Or do you think that the NPC's would be unwilling to go with them? Even if they were given a very good reason?

I myself would think that the NPC's would NOT be willing to go with them because of not wanting to leave the towns (for Kuiper and Garyld), or forests (for Oleanne), open to possible attack, even though the last attack by the humanoids (orcs, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Lizardfolk) was over 21 years ago.

What do you guys or girls think?

Edited by - BlackDragonKarameikos on 14 Feb 2010 03:36:02
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe

United Kingdom
734 Posts

Posted - 14 Feb 2010 :  08:15:15  Show Profile Send Thauramarth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Personally, I think that none of those NPCs would be willing to join with the PCs - they may have adventurer levels, but they are not really free-wheeling, responsibility-free adventurers. They have their niche in the setting's "ecology", and would be unwilling to leave it to go gallivanting into the Underdark.

Besides - so, yes, the last goblin attack dates from 21 years ago, but how's that, huh? Because Kuiper, Oleanna (and her presumed predecessor) kept an eye on things and will keep keeping an eye on things?

There's also another (more personal) issue - Night Below can be pretty brutal and have a high attrition rate among the cannon fod..., sorry, the henchmen. I prefered to create NPCs as potential henchmen and hirelings (also because I love to craft NPCs). Some survived, and some died quick, messey deaths. So I did not want to subject these well-integrated NPCs to such a fate .
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BlackDragonKarameikos
Learned Scribe

USA
106 Posts

Posted - 14 Feb 2010 :  20:31:10  Show Profile  Visit BlackDragonKarameikos's Homepage Send BlackDragonKarameikos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah Thauramarth I love to work on creating NPC's as well. Right now I'm working on creating some NPC's for the PC's to use as training partners.

I don't believe that the major NPC's would go with the PC's either, but I wanted to get an opinion or two before I get to the point where I have to decide wether or not they would go with the PC's.
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