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Chapter 8:
Non-Player Characters
expected to have certain capabilities at a given school rank. More
well-rounded characters provide less power but are very consis-
tent, while more focused characters provide more efficacy but under
narrower circumstances.
To give GMs a rough idea of an NPC’s efficacy, each sample NPC
profile has a conflict rank for both combat and intrigue. For the above
reasons, these estimates cannot be especially precise, but they are a useful
guideline when deciding how many foes to hurl at the player characters.
Determine Total Conflict Rank
To estimate how challenging a conflict scene will be, determine if it is a
combat scene (a
skirmish, duel, or other clash of arms) or an social con-
flict scene (an intrigue or other battle of wits), then take the sum of the
conflict ranks in that category for all NPCs opposing the PCs. This is the
encounter rank.
Gauging Encounter Rank for Your Party
To estimate the appropriateness of this conflict scene for the party, take the
sum of the party’s school ranks (the
party rank).
Table 8–1: Encounter
Rank versus Party Rank gives guidance on how these two should compare.
Adding Adversary Templates
If the GM wishes to use one of the generic profiles to represent a named
NPC, the GM can add advantages and disadvantages
to reflect that char-
acter’s unique strengths and weaknesses, alter the character’s demeanor,
and increase or decrease the character’s rings and ranks in skills. The
templates in this section provide some structure for doing so, allowing a
GM to quickly add extra flavor to a named NPC for whom they are using
a generic profile. However, these options are hardly all-encompassing.
When creating profiles for characters they will portray, GMs should feel
free to create their own templates or simply add, remove, or alter advan-
tages, disadvantages, and other aspects of NPC profiles as they see fit!
Artistic
Conflict Rank: Intrigue +1
Ring: +1 Fire
Skills: +1
Artisan and Social skills
Advantages (choose 0–2): Eye for Detail (Air) [Artisan], Renowned Art-
ist (Fire) [Artisan], Steady Hand (Earth) [Artisan]
Disadvantages (choose 0–2): Cantankerous (Water) [Social], Naiveté
(Fire) [Social], World-Weariness (Earth) [Social]
Demeanor: Gruff or Detached
Table 8–1: Encounter Rank versus Party Rank
Encounter Rank Is…
Encounter Difficulty
…roughly equal to party rank The PCs are roughly matched with
the encounter. They will likely prevail,
but they could certainly still lose,
especially if the dice forsake them.
…1.5–2 times party rank
The PCs are significantly outmatched
by the encounter. Victory will
probably
require clever maneuvering
or shifting their goals from a heedless
all-out attack to a strategic victory.
…1/2 of party rank
The PCs are likely at a significant
advantage. It might be worth adding
stronger NPCs, giving the enemies
improved equipment, or making
another adjustment to even the odds
and make the clash more exciting
Twists of Fate
As the GM,
most of the time, you should let the dice lie where they
fall. If the PCs happen to catch the intended main villain of the story
flatfooted and vanquish them in battle earlier than expected, this
can be an interesting turn that keeps the story exciting for you, too!
Perhaps one (or even several) of the villains’ lieutenants rise to fill the
power vacuum—and, as it turns out, they are actually more cunning
or dangerous than their former master! Maybe someone close to the
villain swears revenge upon the PCs, and the PCs must now contend
with an antagonist
who is not a villain per se, but views the PCs as
a source of injustice in the world. Or perhaps the PCs had not yet
proved the villain’s evil to their own lord and must now undertake the
far more difficult task of proving the guilt of a dead person to show
their master that they acted honorably.
However, there are times when it is not narratively satisfying to
have a character fall in battle at a particular time. If a PC’s ninjō is to
take revenge on a specific individual, having a different PC kill that
character during a seemingly minor skirmish might be very anticli-
mactic. Or perhaps the PC has yet to discover that the villain is the
long-lost parent they have been seeking,
and the battle does not yet
have the appropriate stakes set up. Every once in a while, it really is
best for the story if an adversary gets away to fight another day.
As the GM, you could always stipulate that an adversary escapes,
but when delivered by fiat, this often feels unfair to the players. As a
result, if you want an NPC to escape what should be certain death, we
recommend invoking a
twist of fate. When you call upon a twist of
fate, tell the players that you are doing so and narrate what happens.
Do reinforcements appear to drag the enemy leader away for medical
attention? Does a candle knocked down earlier in the battle ignite the
building, forcing everyone to retreat? Does the fraying rope-bridge
collapse, spilling both combatants into the river far below? Does the
PCs’ lord arrive in desperate
need of their assistance, cutting off the
chase? These circumstances should make it impossible for the PCs to
pursue, and you should ask the players to accept that this is in the best
interest of the story. After you do so, each PC immediately gains 1
Void point. Further, at the end of the game session, each PC receives 1
additional XP, to reflect their having gone above and beyond to over-
come a challenge unexpectedly. You can feel free to note to the players
that this is XP they would not have received had they slain their foe or
otherwise brought them to justice.
Generally speaking, twists of fate should be saved for spe-
cial
circumstances, and used sparingly to keep them exciting
and unexpected!