NPCs

Glabrezu as illustrated in the AD&D 1E Monster Manual

Glabrezu as illustrated in the AD&D 1E Monster Manual

I have just uploaded a new Perl CGI script that generates a random demon using the rules from appendix D of the 1E AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide (page 194-5). Besides basic stats, with the usual information necessary for combat, this random generator also provides extensive descriptive information for the demons it creates with everything from style of head (e.g., duck-like, monkey-like, crocodilian) to body odor.

Considering the fact that demons are the very embodiment of chaos, the surprising combination of features created should keep players on their toes when tangling with abyssal forces!

Click here to give the Random AD&D Demon Generator a try!

"Feiernde Bauern" ("Celebrating Peasants"), artist unknown, 18th or 19th century

“Feiernde Bauern” (“Celebrating Peasants”), artist unknown, 18th or 19th century

Today I have posted a new Perl script to my blog that will generate hundreds of random non-leveled (i.e., commoner) NPCs in a plain text file, including basic physical characteristics, psychological features, and information about employment (the script is available here and from the header menu above). The program is a companion piece to the leveled NPC generation script previously published on this blog. While that script was for creating rival NPC parties and the like, this one is primarily for generating NPCs to drop into your campaign whenever your players drop into their local tavern to collect rumors or stop a random passerby on a city street.

Notes and Caveats:

  1. It would be remiss on my part if I didn’t acknowledge the influence on this script of Richard J. LeBlanc Jr.’s NPC generation charts in his D30 Sandbox Companion publication. I strongly recommend clicking that link and buying all of his D30 products in both PDF and print (the latter available here).
  2. There is one more NPC generator script yet to be uploaded: one that generates the entire population of various types of city districts including both leveled and non-leveled NPCs and using some of the demographic assumptions introduced in third edition Dungeons and Dragons. I will post that within the next month or so (it needs a bit more polish).

paladinI have published a random generator that creates leveled NPCs (also linked above) using the rules in the AD&D 1e Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide. The output, which can be downloaded as a plain text file, includes the usual stats along with the (sometimes very odd) random personality fields from the DMG. Users of the script can choose to create random NPCs, or choose specific classes, races, and/or levels. One caveat: choosing a combination not allowed in the 1e rule-set can generate malformed NPCs. As with the weather generation script, I would appreciate any feedback about the usefulness of this tool and/or improvements that could be made.

One last note: I have separate random generators for creating non-adventurer NPCs and populating city districts that I will post at a later date (they are a bit more complex).