NPC Concept: "If You Know the King, You Know the Kingdom" - Part 4: Democracies

Overview

"Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal," said Aristotle. If Ancient Greece had a version of democracy in their city-states, why can't certain medieval societies? A democracy is a fascinating government type that is not often seen in fantasy settings. Usually, in fantasy, we are exposed to emperors, kings, or military leaders in power. Democracies are also difficult societies to run and talk about in TTRPGs because of the multitude of people involved.

But first, let's take a look at how page 18 of the Dungeon Master's Guide defines a "democracy."

"Citizens or their elected representatives determine the laws in a democracy. A bureaucracy or military carries out the day-to-day work of government with positions filled through open elections."

While this definition does work, and can encompass the idea of a "true democracy" in which power is derived directly from the people with little to no elected officials, it is most common that there are representatives elected. Even Merriam-Webster Dictionary agrees with that statement.

Democracies are often conflated with republics, but the DMG actually makes a point to distinguish between them. It says on page 19 that if there are restrictions on who can vote and why, or who can be elected to seats of power, that makes the country a republic. That is also reflected in the linked definition.

So now that we know what a democracy is, how do we make one work in our D&D setting?

Who Are The Important People?

Well, it's hard to say. After all, democracies are defined by... all people being able to have a say in their government. So is every single NPC important when we think about a political campaign, set in a democracy? I'd argue no, mostly because some NPCs might not be involved in voting; it may not be mandatory. 

If you're running a democratic setting, determine who is and isn't politically active when you make your NPCs. Either way, they can be incredibly fascinating, if the story you're trying to tell is political in nature. Why does someone want to get involved? Why is someone else avoiding it like the plague? It can lead to some intriguing and important conversations.

The major important NPC in this government system will be the elected leader, if there is one. Why were they elected? What kind of country are they running? The beauty of a democracy is that the people and their shared values are going to be the thing that determines what kind of leader they elect. This is a chance for DMs to study and bring out the values and culture of a certain area. The government will be (ideally) a direct reflection of the people living in that country. If it's not, then you may have a corrupt democracy on your hands, which could also be really fun to explore.

Functions / Motivation

What makes a democratic government especially unique is that in an ideal democracy, the government's motives are the people's motives. This kind of goes back to what I just said: culture and shared values of the people are going to drive this government forward.

Democracies are also interesting to explore on a small scale. Perhaps the kingdom itself is a monarchy, under the rule of a king. However, while each town must adhere to the king's laws, they can also implement their own local laws by way of a democracy. As long as they're not illegal on a federal level, they're allowed to be implemented. Each town may even have an elected mayor, who runs the voting and proceedings of the town.

A democracy is a naturally selfless government type, provided that it remains uncorrupt. The corruption of a beloved democracy could actually be a plot point for a campaign.

Why Should I Include This?

Sometimes the same kingdom run by an absolute monarch or a monarch and their council is boring. Sometimes a kingdom with a king and barons that divide up land is also boring. We've seen it before.

Democracies are one of the governments on this list that really fascinate me in a fantasy setting, where governments like the ones I just mentioned are typically normal. I mean, think of all the interesting political interactions that could be happening. How do kings deal with democratically elected officials? Do they recognize them as legitimate? Do they see merit in allowing all citizens the power to vote? If not, why not? In a political campaign, these are all very fun questions to consider.

I think it also might allow your players to have some driving force in the setting. Imagine that they're unknown heroes, starting in a town with a democratically elected mayor. There's a town meeting about a monster in the mountains nearby, and a vote on what they should do. The players vote to send an adventuring party, and volunteer. When they come back victorious, they now have more of the town on their side. They can sway other votes later. Their voices actually matter, and can affect the government in a big way before even being all that recognized beyond being "local heroes." They've just changed how this town runs by casting a vote and being involved. In its own way, isn't that empowering for them?

What's Coming Next?

The next government type coming up is the dictatorship. What defines a dictator and how do they rule? Well, we'll talk about that in the next post. See you all then!

NPC Concept: Merfolk, the Water Fey

Overview:

I was considering continuing my series on governments this week, but I'm out at the beach at the moment, finishing up a really great vacation! Being at the beach has given me some inspiration to talk about merfolk in D&D.

Merfolk already have a stat block (seen above) but it's pretty simplistic. In my opinion, they don't have the "mystical" aesthetic that I've always associated with them. Merfolk are as mysterious and magical as they are beautifully majestic, in my opinion.

There are also different types of merfolk, including sirens, which (in every stat block I've seen, homebrewed or otherwise) are always classified as fey. Then there's the playable triton race from Volo's Guide to Monsters, which seems more primordial than fey but are still able to breathe underwater and have a swim speed.

Today, I want to talk about how I personally classify these creatures, and how I tend to use them in my campaigns because I frequently do. After all, I include pirates in some capacity in every game I run. Why not include mermaids too?

What Is and Isn't "Merfolk" for me?

Let's talk about triton first because they're the easiest for me to eliminate from what I'm talking about. Triton, to me, are not "true merfolk." They are beings originating from the Water Plane, and closer related to elementals or primordials than merfolk are.

Merfolk, to me, are fey creatures. All merfolk - including your typical mermaid, sirens, and other water nymphs or naiads - are fey. I have several reasons for this and notable distinctions, especially between mermaids and sirens. For now though, let's start with naiads.

Naiads, to me, are the water equivalent to dryads. Instead of being tied to a tree, flower, or other plant though, they're tied to a specific body of fresh water. This can be a lake, river, stream, pond, or even something like a swamp or bog. They exhibit most of the same traits as their plant-based sisters: shy, and incredibly seductive should they choose to be. They have very powerful charming capabilities, but unlike dyads, their appearances likely won't change with the seasons. They can however, appear as elven women - specifically sea (or water) elven women.

Water elves are another point. Since I attribute elves as part of the broader category of "fey-kin," with different elves descending from different types of fey, water elves are specifically descended from merfolk. By "water elves," I'm referring to the subrace of "sea elves" from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. I do refer to them as sea elves, but they can even be further related to naiads, which would put them more in the category of general "water elves."

The other two major types of merfolk are general merfolk and sirens, of which there are several key differences for me:

- Merfolk look less like fish, and more like elves. They are "little mermaid" type creatures; the stereotypical humanoid torso and fish tail. Their ears are pointed, like elf ears are, and they are strikingly beautiful. Biologically, both male and female merfolk exist. They also trade their tails for legs that they can use to come on land, though they rarely do. When they do, they look like water elves, much like naiads.

Art from the "Mermish"
page on the Harry Potter
Wiki
(link here)

- Sirens look far more like fish. When I think more about "sirens," I think of the merpeople in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (pictured to the right.) Biologically, only female sirens exist, though they may chose to identify as any other gender and use any other pronouns.

- Both of these creatures exist primarily in seas and oceans, but also the occasional underwater lake. 

- So, if your players ever find themselves in the Underdark and there's a lake nearby... throw some sirens at them. Why not, right?

- Both of these creatures have alluring singing voices, but the siren's is far more powerful. It works better over long distances than a merperson's would. Merfolk also can't charm people magically with their song, though it is often described as enchanting.

- Both of these creatures have a "kiss" mechanic. A siren's kiss puts you to sleep, so you'll drown. A merfolk's kiss let's you breathe underwater, so you can sit, visit, drink, and... perhaps stay in their kingdom a while... perhaps even a long while.

- Remember, fey have a very fluid concept of time. They're long-lived; time doesn't concern them. But keeping a human PC underwater for twenty years... that might be a little concerning to the PC's party members. They might also view kidnapping as something of a prank; fey are tricksters, and these creatures would be no different.

- Sirens are inherently evil, and use their voices and kisses to lure sailors to their demise and eat them.

- Merfolk typically view sailors as harmless mortals or potential allies and friends. If a sailor befriends a mermaid, it's considered very good luck. Merfolk allied with captains often help them navigate the seas and avoid storms or whirlpools. If, however, a sailor wrongs a merfolk, it is considered very bad luck and almost ensures the ship's demise.

- Since these are fey creatures, they operate under the same logic and rules as my other fey creatures do (which I won't specifically disclose here, due to the fact that I have a few players involved with fey in my games. No spoilers!)

- I will say though that, due to this logic, it is possible for there to be a merfolk or siren archfey, which would be as powerful as other archfey in your games. Personally, I put my most powerful archfey on the same level as quasi-deities. 

- Imagine your adventuring party running into, say, The Prince of the Sea - a merfolk archfey. What is he like?

These are my personal distinctions, and obviously, you can take this in any direction that feels right to you.

Function / Motivation

Sirens are monsters for me, considering their innately evil nature. They are a fun sea encounter to throw at your players. Imagine the mad squabbling to save each other from a siren's song, to plug their ears and steer the boat as far away as possible. Tying people to masts, watching other sailors throw themselves into the depths... it can be as exciting as it is terrifying. Their motivation is food, and your PCs are food.

I use merfolk and naiads more as allies or neutral NPCs. In my Tri-Panthonic War campaign, the pirate character Sylyeras, has befriended a group of four mermaids. They appear here or there, giving him information or offering to help him where they can. They're a particularly flirtatious group of women, but they've never proven violent or harmful towards Sylyeras or his party. I rarely use naiads, focusing more on dryads, but I'd use them in a similar way.

These creatures, being fey, might do these things because they're good, but they may also be prompted to ask for a gift or favor in return. A naiad might be content with a pretty shell, a mirror, a pearl, or a piece of jewelry. Merfolk might also be content with these items, but that severely depends on the merfolk. For example, an archfey might need more persuasion and that might be a bit more dangerous or spur on a quest for your party. Archfey in general can be really interesting quest-givers because the quest might seem easy or straight-forward at first. At the end of the day though, they rarely are as easy as they seem. Fey are tricksters, and may or may not be harmless ones. That part is up to you, as the DM.

Why Should I Include This?

Admittedly, I am in love with the sea aesthetic in fantasy. Pirates especially, but also treasure hunting, exploration, and sea monsters - merfolk included. So maybe I'm a little biased, but there's a lot of ideas here.

The stories and mythos you can create surrounding merfolk are endless, and you can draw not only on D&D lore for it. Check out other mythologies and folk tales for inspiration; there are so many. Some of them are even related to fey, and are worth checking out as well.

In think that fey are a little limited in D&D 5e; there's a fair amount of them, but water fey are far less prevalent. I think that putting merfolk into this category is not only interesting, it makes a lot of sense. They're magical, typically associated with charming or seducing sailors, and voice is a huge part of their power. Fey and devils are the two big dealmakers in D&D 5e. Devils do their deals in writing. Fey do them verbally. Voice is everything to fey, so it would make sense that merfolk would draw from that same power of voice.

Fey can be good, evil, tricky, or honest and as a result, so can merfolk. They can play a variety of roles with your adventuring party: friend, foe, patron, or minor antagonist. As long as your party is on or near the water, you can put these creatures in your game. They make for interesting encounters, hostile or not.

NPC Concept: "If You Know the King, You Know the Kingdom" - Part 3: The Confederates

Overview:

Alright, time for part three of this series (later than I'd anticipated, but here nonetheless!) This is the series on my blog where we take a look at different ideas and concepts surrounding the government types presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide for D&D 5e.

Today, we return to page 18 of the DMG to talk about confederacies:

"Each individual city or town within the confederacy governs itself, but all contribute to a league or federation that promotes (at least in theory) the common good of all member states."

Now that we have our baseline, let's see what kinds of NPCs we can cook up!

Who Are the Important People?

When I think about confederacies, I think about two different historical places: Ancient Greece, and the southern United States during the Civil War. Both of them are different, but both of them match the description that the DMG puts forward here.

City-states were very popular in Ancient Greece, and those city-states were independent bodies with their own forms of government. Take Sparta and Athens. Both were part of the larger "Grecian Empire" but they were also different from one another in culture and ideals about government. They even went to war against each other. During the American Civil War, several southern states had attempted to secede from the country and create a confederacy. This new government had the mindset of states' rights and state laws to be more important than federal laws. The individual states would have more power than the country that governed them as a whole. Both of these embody a confederacy.

Knowing that, if you plan to use a confederacy in your setting, ask yourself what each of the city-states involved are like. How are they governed? Is there a federal leader? How are leaders chosen? That will help you determine who your important people are out of the list of ideas I'm about to put forth:

- The Monarch / President. This is the leader of the kingdom itself. In the Civil War example, this was Jefferson Davis. This leadership position can be within a family and inherited, as the title of "king" or "queen" would be, or it can involve some kind of election or test of strength. In the latter instance, you're bringing in facets of a republic or democracy. A reminder that this person would not really be in charge of things, but we'll elaborate more on that and what it means later.

- Local Leaders / Governors. These are the true governing powerhouses, and they can take any form you want them to. They could be an elected body. They could be a general or local adventuring hero. They could be some kind of king or scholar. The beauty of having a confederacy is that you can create vibrant local cultures within a single empire. Your players don't have to travel the world to see different cultures; there can be many right here.

- Voters. If you're implementing a non-hereditary system, and you plan on there being some kind of "voting system" then it's important to know who's allowed to vote and why. If you're running a political campaign, especially one surrounding an election, it's important to know who your voters are.

Function / Motivation

As per always, the primary function of any government is to govern. They're the ones that create systems of laws that allow society to exist in an orderly way.

Confederacies are interesting because there's not really a sense of "national pride" or togetherness. The people living in these city-states are far more likely to identify with the city-state that they're from, rather than their nation. Greeks were not "Greeks," they were Athenians, Spartans, Corinthians, or Thebans, etc. 

Some city-states in your confederacy may have a rivalry, or an alliance (or they may be in need of an alliance.) There's a very fun and interesting plot right there: uniting a confederacy that has been at war with itself for a long time, in an effort to face a larger threat. A governor may be motivated to prove that their city-state is the best, and requires the party's help. There may be an upcoming election, and the party is hired to ensure nothing goes wrong. A governor has just died with no eligible heir, and there's a power vacuum. How is the next governor chosen if there is no voting system in place?

What's the motivation for a federal leader? Perhaps they want to keep peace between their city-states. Perhaps they don't really care at all, and they enjoy being a figurehead or mediator for conflicts. Ultimately, that is what the federal leader would be responsible for, if each city-state is governing itself apart from them. Otherwise, there's not really a reason for one of these to exist. In fact, you don't really need one. The "federal government" in this case, could just be all of the governors working together on a larger council that meets every so often. If that's the case, how are conflicts between city-states solved? It may benefit the DM to put in some kind of "mediator" role, even if that person is not necessarily a government leader. Think something like a Chief Justice or Judge.

If there is a voting system, what motivates voters to vote? Well, voting could be mandatory. It could also depend on the candidates; popular and likable candidates are more likely to cause better voter turn-out. If both or all candidates are unlikable, fewer people turn out to vote because they feel as though they're voting for what they believe to be the lesser of two evils.

Why Should I Include This?

A confederacy can be many things, but the best thing that I think it can be is culturally diverse. If you want to write a campaign, but don't want to go through the trouble of making (for example) five different kingdoms for your party to explore, that's fine. Create a confederacy, and make five major city-states. Give each city-state a capital, and maybe a couple villages. You can have five vastly different cultures, but all condensed into one major area. Making a local government, in my personal opinion and experience, is a little easier than making a federal one.

The state of the confederacy can also lead to a multitude of different plotlines:

- Two city-states are about to go to war. Your adventuring party can take one of two routes, depending on how the DM wants to write the story. They can actively try to stop the war, or they can pick a side of the war and help them win, like in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.

- All of the city-states despise each other, and a new king of the country has come into power. He hires the party to help him unite the city-states. This could be for his own personal gain, or because the country is facing a large threat like an invading nation or monsters.

- Two city-states are trying to form an alliance, but they're at an impasse. Maybe an arranged marriage can help, but who and how willing would those participants be? Maybe the party helps decide or acts as bodyguards. This could lead to a similar plot to my Matchmaker Campaign.

- A city-state is being framed by a local pirate captain (here's Em, resurfacing her pirate obsession) for breaking a trade agreement with another city-state. Can the party save the agreement and catch the pirate in the process?

- As I mentioned before: a governor has died, and has no heir. The party can help ensure the validity of the election, or they could be hired by the monarch to help choose a new governor from certain candidates.

All of these could be filled with action and intrigue for a great D&D campaign.

What's Coming Next?

There's another one in the books! In our next post in this series, we'll be discussing the intricacies of democracies! See you all then!

NPC Concept: "If You Know the King, You Know the Kingdom" - Part 2: The Bureaucrats

Overview

I'm back today with part two of this series, where I'm taking a look at the types of governments that the D&D 5e Dungeon Master's Guide provides to DMs, looking to create some homebrew kingdoms of their own. I'm providing explanations, plot ideas, and also some thoughts on how to structure these governments for your games, where political avenues may be the party's best bet.

Today, we're going over a bureaucracy, which page 18 of the DMG describes as:

"Various departments [that] compose the government, each responsible for an aspect of rule. The department heads, ministers, or secretaries answer to a figurehead autocrat or council."

With that description at our disposal, let's dive into creation!

Who Are the Important People?

My Tri-Panthonic War campaign actually has two bureaucratic kingdoms: one in Biharte, which the players have not visited, and one in Degoa, which they have. I'd like to talk about the latter in this context.

The first question you have to ask yourself is what departments exist in my bureaucracy? This is really important, because each department is supposed to act as a facet of the government. What pieces of rule require their own departments? In Degoa, I had the following departments with a secretary for each one:

- State: oversaw diplomatic matters, as well as all other departments on behalf of the queen.

- Treasury: responsible for taxation, trade, and incoming revenue.

- Defense: oversaw the general defense of the kingdom - basically everything from local guards to the national army and navy.

- Justice: responsible for the court system, upholding laws in court, and anything to do with prison or incarceration.

- Agriculture: oversaw the production of food, including both produce and livestock.

- Communications: oversaw and supervised courtier services and any public means of communication, including arcane communication. They were also responsible for the quality of the roads in the kingdom.

- Arcana: oversaw the use of magic and was also responsible for educating mages within the kingdom.

- Papers: oversaw licensing for anything from magic use to businesses, and also responsible for the creation / checking of travel papers or passports for the kingdom.

These are just suggestions of course. More or less departments could be used, depending on the kind of society you want to create. If the kingdom has public education, consider making an education department. My inspiration for this came from looking up the different departments within the executive branch of the United States. The US president has several secretaries that serve on his Cabinet, and that is kind of how I intended for this to be. 

The capital city housed the main departments with the secretaries. However, all cities had offices for each of these departments in them, with undersecretaries and agents that worked within those offices. As you can see, there are a lot of people who could be important here, depending on what your players do and what kind of plots you have in mind.

The last thing to think about is the fact that this bureaucracy typically has a ruler at the top. The description in the book says that this leader is a figurehead, and I think that's an important detail to remember. That could be a really good detail to explore in a political plot. In Degoa, there is a queen who serves as this figurehead. Her responsibilities are few and far between, and almost everything is left to the secretaries. As a result, they're the ones with the power. The party may try to avoid the red tape of the bureaucracy and go straight to the queen... only to find that there's not much the queen can do for them. 

Another important question: what exactly is the relationship between a monarch and their bureaucracy? That will lead us into our next section.

Function / Motivations

As I stated in my last part, the overall objective of any of these institutions is to rule. They are the systems of law that allow a society to function.

However, overall motivations of particular groups may vary, and that's where the party comes in to interact with these types of NPCs and forward the plot.

- Does the monarch enjoy being the figurehead? Do they mind the fact that they're really just a show piece or a symbol? The party could be hired by the monarch to help them become important, to dismantle the bureaucracy.

- Do one of the departments need a little extra funding? Could the party go on a quest to get them something like a dragon's hoard? And of course, the party would get a cut too.

- Two departments can't agree on whether or not a certain issue belongs to their department or the other. The State Department calls the party in as impartial judges.

- A bureaucracy is often a very strict form of government with a lot of paperwork and "red tape" to jump through. Do they interfere with the party's goals? A task that might seem simple in other kingdoms just got a lot more difficult when the party is forced to deal with the bureaucracy. Can they find a way to accomplish their goal quietly? Can they make allies within the departments so they don't have to deal with that red tape?

A bureaucracy, much more than some other types of governments, is strict. Everything has to be in its proper place. The more departments that are involved, the messier and harder things get. In my opinion, a bureaucracy is more likely to be an obstacle for your PCs rather than an opportunity for allies. Individuals in a certain department may be willing to help your party... but the department itself might not care unless a huge favor was done for them. Even then, once they've held up their end of the bargain, they're not likely to help again unless another favor was done.

Speaking of favors, some bureaucracies may also be highly corrupt. The Treasury could be hiking up taxes, Agriculture might be lowering its standards for acceptable food for some reason, Arcana might be cracking down on certain types of magic or who can practice it, etc. In this case, your party may act as "Robin Hoods" almost, and help out the common folk.

Why Should I Include This?

In its own way, the bureaucracy is an interesting addition that makes your players think. It's hard to dismantle a government, especially one like this where there are so many different officials to worry about.

In a bureaucratic kingdom, your lawful characters will really get the chance to thrive. The best way to combat a bureaucracy is to accomplish a quest by sticking to the letter of the law, and making the process as easy as possible by including as few departments as possible. More chaotic players with chaotic characters might find this type of storyline frustrating or difficult, but not impossible. It presents an unfamiliar challenge, which is never a bad thing in D&D and storytelling. In fact, I think it encourages creativity. The "Robin Hood" type questline could also be a really good option if you have a party that leans more towards chaos.

What's Coming Next?

So, that's all I've got for the bureaucracy! My next post in this series will come in about 2 weeks, and in that case, we'll be discussing confederacies. I'll see you all then!

NPC Concept: "If You Know the King, You Know the Kingdom" - Part 1: The Autocrat

Overview

I absolutely adore politics and a royal aesthetic when it comes to the fantasy genre. I think I make that pretty clear by the types of games I run; right now, two thirds of them are based in politics.

I wanted to start something of a series on the blog here, since I like talking about and exploring different government structures. In the 5e Dungeon Master's Guide, there is a chapter on how to homebrew your own worlds and kingdoms. On page 18, there's a table on which someone could roll a d100 to determine a kingdom's government. 

I've been struggling with my Campaign Concepts lately. I'm in school, and I haven't had as much time to flesh them out as I think I would want to. That gives me more time to focus on something like this, which comes to me much easier.

So, if I can, I want to go through each of these government types and talk about the NPCs that would be associated with them. I also want to discuss their potential as allies, patrons, and villains for your campaigns.

Today, we're going to start with the first type on the table: Autocracy, the leader of which would be the "autocrat." The book defines this type of government as:

"One hereditary ruler wields absolute power. The autocrat either is supported by a well-developed bureaucracy or military, or stands as the only authority in an otherwise anarchic society. The dynastic ruler may be immortal or undead." (pg. 18, Dungeon Master's Guide 5e)

Who Are the Important People?

Even a government with only one ruler has multiple people involved in keeping the country running. Any of these NPCs could be important to your story or players in multiple ways (we'll look at that a little more later.) For now, let's just see who our most important people are with this.

The first and most obvious is the autocrat themself. For this example, I'm going to use a government from earlier in my Tri-Panthonic War campaign: the government of Stovald. This ruler's title, rather than something like "king" or "emperor" was "Paragon." The paragon at the start of this scene of the campaign was Emmanuel. It's important to establish how this leader is treated by their people, especially when they're seen as the only authority within that kingdom. For example, Emmanuel was a tyrant. He demanded respect from his subjects and forbid anyone from speaking ill of him or his regime. The people of Stovald feared him, to an extent, and if they had any misgivings about him, they would harbor them in silence. They say "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and I would not be afraid to explore that with an autocrat. In that way, they can make for excellent villains. However, there are plenty of examples of benevolent absolute rulers throughout history that you can draw upon as well. Ashoka the Great, a former emperor of India, is a perfect example. After a particularly bloody conquest, he swore off violence in favor of compassion and relieving the suffering of the poor. (Britannica, article here)

When talking about autocrats, since they are hereditary, it may also benefit the DM to think about who's inheriting that position. That means that the DM should also consider looking into different succession laws. I kept mine simple. In Stovald, only men can inherit land or titles, and succession passes through the eldest son. Emmanuel was going to be succeeded by his eldest son, Hugo. Hugo wasn't the only child, however, and this holds true in history as well. Most nobility or royalty had at least two children: an heir and a spare. Hugo had two siblings: his brother, Phoebus (the spare), and his sister, Esmerelda. Obviously, Esmerelda couldn't inherit much as the youngest child and also as a daughter, but she ended up being quite important to the plot. These younger children often aren't paid much mind. As a result, they can get up to mischief on behalf of the party, while still holding some political sway (depending on your succession rules and cultural norms, of course.)

Then, we have the advisors. Even absolute rulers rarely rule without help. There has to be some thought behind that "well developed bureaucracy or military" in order to make the kingdom feel real. If the autocrat is militaristic, surround him with generals. If he's scholarly, surround him with scholars. Are these people "yes-men?" Potentially. Compared to some of the other government structures that this table provides, the advisors don't have much of a say in their rulers' decisions. They can sway him, sure, but ultimately, the autocrat's word is law for everyone. He may have nobles or vassals who own land, but it would not be too far out of the realm of possibility for him to dictate how they operate. Even the wealthy, though they might be able to influence him, are firmly under the thumb of an autocrat. Additionally, the autocrat doesn't need their advisors to make a decision. They can think of a new law, write it down, and have it executed in hours without talking to anyone else.

Function / Motivations

With all of these builds that I'll be doing as part of this series, the obvious primary function is to rule. These are governments; their function is to provide law and order. The question you need to ask as the DM is how.

Autocrats can be enemies or allies depending on their motivations. They can also be a multitude of creatures, outside of humanoids. I've played in games that had autocracies ruled by dragons - some kind, some not so kind. The book's description also describes "undead" as being an option for an autocrat. A lich king is a classic D&D BBEG. In those cases, their "well-developed" support comes from sheer might or magical prowess. Not any group of adventurers can brave an adult or ancient dragon or a lich. It provides a great challenge and final boss fight.

A benevolent autocrat can act as the patron of the adventuring party, funding an expedition or granting them a quest. An evil one can be a formidable foe, humanoid or not.

When it comes to the heir to this autocracy, they can work their way into the plot in multiple ways. The most obvious of these ways is in a regime change. The heir could actually be the enemy, plotting to overthrow the compassionate autocrat in the background. If the autocrat is the tyrant, perhaps they're an ally to the party trying to overthrow their parent. Now the party has an acceptable ruler and can prevent something like a civil war among other nobles or generals in the kingdom. Additionally, the heir could also be on the side of their parent. For example, there could be a benevolent prince who aids the party on their endeavors. On the other hand, there could be a conquering princess with her own army, declaring new territory in the name of her parent and kingdom. The heir may also hold a lot of political sway with their parent. If your game is a political one and depending on the direction you take, this can be a game-changer. Kidnapping that conquering princess and demanding that the autocrat draw his forces back? Very possible. Asking the compassionate prince to convince his father to give the party the pay raise they've been waiting for? Also very possible.

Advisors or generals can also serve as mini-bosses or party allies and patrons, depending on the circumstances. Knowing these people and how much influence or power they have can really help the party. With an ally, you know their limits as to how many strings they can pull. With an enemy, you know their strengths and weaknesses. Neither of these should be overlooked. Although the autocrat's word is law, others with power may not be pleased with that law (more ally / enemy potential.) The one drawback to having an ally in this position is that once the autocrat has made their final decision, there really isn't anything the party or their ally can do. If that decision messes with the party's plan, then it's another obstacle for them to overcome.

Why Should I Include This?

Autocracies were not uncommon in the world, by any means. Researching historical cultures with absolute rulers will be a great place for you to start. You can create some really interesting settings when you put your mind to it.

With this concept, the idea is that you get one of two things:

- An ally or patron with the ability to write laws, acquire items, or send aid with a single word. They don't necessarily need the input of their advisors to do so. They can act quickly and have their laws executed almost immediately.

- An enemy with the ability to summon armies and conquer land with a single word. They don't need the input of their advisors to do so. They can act quickly, which challenges your party to do the same thing to try and stop them.

There's potential for more allies and villains within this too, in the ranks of those closest to the autocrat. It allows for an element of political intrigue, which is always something I really enjoy in my games.

What's Coming Next?

Next week, I think I'm going to continue this series in lieu of a campaign concept. Like I said, it's becoming difficult for me to really flesh those out with school and everything.

Next week, we're going to talk about bureaucracies and how they can factor into something like an autocracy, or perhaps another form of fantasy government.

NPC Concept: Brothels, Bordellos, and the Escorts Involved

Overview

I've already done a post on tavern keepers before, so I've decided to cover something else in the same vein of "places to stay, have a drink, and maybe be entertained." 

I want to talk about bordellos and brothels - places where people can go for pleasure as a form of entertainment. Chances are, even if you haven't planned it, your town or city has an establishment like this. It may be its own establishment, or perhaps some larger taverns have these types of services available. Most (if not all) societies had sex work as a profession. 

Even though they might be there, ultimately, whether or not you choose to include anything based around brothels or bordellos in depth is up to you as the DM. Know your table. For some players, going to a place like this could be really uncomfortable. For others, it could be quite fun! Just something to keep in mind as we go forward and explore this concept.

Rather than talk about the establishments themselves, I'm going to touch upon the types of people that work in such establishments. This will include:

- Prostitutes, escorts, dancers, and / or courtesans

- Matrons and / or pimps

- The wait staff

- Security or bouncers

Function / Motivations

The bordello itself has one major function: it's a place where you can essentially purchase company, usually for sexual pleasure. Your adventuring party may venture here out of curiosity or for that purpose. They may also venture here as part of some larger quest, like:

- The party is contacted by a local noblewoman. She believes her spouse is cheating on her with one of the "ladies of the night." Find proof, and be handsomely rewarded.

- The local prostitutes are being exploited by their pimp. They want to get rid of him.

- Brothel murder mystery! Who killed the matron? Why? Was it one of the courtesans? The head waiter? The bartender? The bouncer?

These are just a few examples to get the gears turning, of course.

Each person within a brothel will have their own function and depending on the type of brothel, that may also determine their functions or even whether they're present at all. For example, a cheaper or "low-class" brothel may not have bouncers or much in the way of security. They may not even offer food, so there might not be a need for a wait staff. These are jobs you might find in an upper-class or high-end bordello. In the places where they are present, let's talk about what the wait staff and bouncers would be like. 

The wait staff are there to serve food and drinks to guests and their escorts or courtesans. These are people who are going to know things: who's here, who were they with, for how long, etc. These are the types of people in the establishment who blend into the background and often go unnoticed. They hear conversations. They know gossip. They're probably asked by the matron / pimp and the prostitutes to be discreet as much as possible. Depending on their loyalty to the establishment and how they're being treated, they may not be inclined to give much information if an adventuring party comes asking. They may also be afraid to give the party any information, again, depending on how they're being treated.

Bouncers are often in taverns or brothels to break up drunken brawls, and admit or refuse certain clientele. Especially in the case of high-end bordellos, they won't let just anyone inside. Can they be bribed? If not, why not? Is it loyalty, or fear? If your party doesn't want to attract attention, they're going to have to avoid the bouncers.

Then, there are the positions and jobs that would be present in any type of bordello: the matron or pimp, and the prostitutes themselves.

More than likely (and to keep it simpler for you, the DM) your pimp or matron is going to be the person who owns the establishment. They don't typically take part in much of the sex work (if they take part in it at all.) They're more focused on running the business itself. They can be quite benevolent: advocating for the safety of their employees and clients, ensuring discretion where needed, etc. They can also be the exact opposite depending on DM needs, and how you want this person to be if you're sending your players on a quest. In my opinion, there's little reason for a matron or pimp to mistreat their workers, unless you actively want them to be an antagonist. If this bordello is just a stop for curious or interested players, there's no real reason for this role to be malevolent. This NPC is the boss of this place. If there's information needed about a worker or a client, they've definitely got it.

Lastly, we have the prostitutes and courtesans themselves. All of them have the same primary function as entertainers, but depending on the quest (or lack thereof) there could be other secondary ones. In my opinion, one of the most important things to consider is the kind of establishment that these prostitutes are coming from. For example, high-end escorts - people who are paid to attend balls with very wealthy people, almost as an accessory - would hold themselves much differently than prostitutes who work in a rowdy dance club or tavern brothel. These workers also have the advantage of knowing more about their clients than anyone else who works at the establishment would. Need information or blackmail material about a local politician? Find the bordello he frequents, and talk to his regular courtesan. They would probably know something. In intimate settings, people often talk very intimately about themselves. Why would a prostitute give up information they know about a client? What would persuade them?

One other thing that should be considered, especially if bordellos and brothels are going to be important in some way to your plot: how are they viewed? Is sex work even legal in the kingdom your players are in? Is there a stigma that surrounds it? If your party is, say, trying to keep up a reputation among very traditional nobles in a kingdom where sex work is generally frowned upon, the party would likely not want to get caught in the local bordello. If they are caught, how does that affect their quest?

Why Should I Include This?

There are facets of brothels and bordellos that can be fascinating to explore in a quest. The number of different aesthetics and people you can come across in a bordello depending on location and social class is also very fun to play around with. Within the walls, there are secrets to be found and mysteries to be solved.

Even if the local brothel isn't a huge part of your quest, sometimes... it can just be fun for players to explore. Just remember, DMs: this kind of setting (as something particularly in-depth) may not appeal to all your tables. Know your players, and make sure to have fun!

NPC Concept: Tavern Owners and Barkeeps

Overview

Ah yes, tavern owners. Pretty much every fantasy-based D&D game has them, even if they're just in the background. Sci-fi settings will have the cantina owner; modern settings will have the bartender - they're everywhere in our TTRPGs. Tavern owners have even become something of a phenomenon on apps like TikTok (at least, among D&D enthusiasts on the app) where people have created their own fantasy taverns to cater to "adventurers passing through" (viewers scrolling by.)

Personally, I don't really dive too much into the creation of tavern owners, but I feel as though I could in some of my games, which is why I wanted to write about them a little. This is a blog post just as much as it is a brainstorming exercise for me. This concept is not new, by any means, but if you let it, it can bring so much life to your game. Especially if your players are going to be frequenting a lot of taverns or, perhaps, purchasing one that will certainly need some kind of manager.

Function / Motivations

When you think of a tavern owner in D&D, what do you think of? What is their purpose? I can think of two major ones:

- Quest-Giver / Local Resource: These tavern owners have a job for the PCs and / or they know about local gossip and news. If there's something going on in town or something weird nearby, these guys probably know something about it - even if they're just rumors. They also have rooms available for the PCs while they're in town.

- Ally: This can take several forms, and it can encompass everything I just said, but it can also go further. Maybe the tavern owner is a former adventurer or war veteran. If a fight breaks out, they could be helpful. If the party needs an ally in a pinch, then perhaps this person is one of the first they go to. They could also have access to extra adventuring supplies - rope, rations, potions, and whatever else.

However, this isn't all they have to be. Depending on where a specific tavern may be located and how many other taverns are in the city, things might be different. If the tavern is located in an area that is notoriously "shady," then the owner might fall less under the "ally" category. In fact, they may be a hindrance to the players unless bribed or blackmailed in some way. A tavern owner's "ally status" if you will may also have to be earned through completing quests or helping the owner with certain tasks.

Personality is also important for any memorable NPC. Is this tavern owner particularly stingy? Particularly friendly? Do they have a strange quirk or feature? Does the name of their tavern have a particular meaning? I once created a tavern owned by a small adventuring group. The group was made up of reflections of my PCs - adventurers with the same race and class, similar backgrounds, but with notable differences in appearance and certain backstory details. There were three PCs and so there were three NPCs. The tavern they owned was called "Three of a Kind." I like the idea of tavern owners having some kind of tiny backstory, even if that backstory is simply: "My spouse and I opened this tavern together after we got married. It was our dream" or "I loved the tavern that used to be here, but the owner died. So, I bought the place and kept it alive."

Primary motivation for tavern owners should be, in my opinion, running their business. Unless, of course, the tavern is a front for something else like a black market or crime ring. Or, perhaps, the tavern is some kind of ruse and maybe the beloved tavern owner of the party's regular drinking spot is secretly the villain. In that case, the business should be the least of their worries! How a tavern looks upon entry, I think, is a great indicator of how much effort the owners put in. Is the bar clean? Is there some kind of specific décor on the wall, referencing heroes of old? Military regalia, maybe? Is the tavern warm and inviting? Are there spiderwebs and rats in the corners? Are the chairs and tables in disrepair? All of this could key your party into the type of person who owns this bar.

Secondary motivations may vary. I think a lot of that depends on how a DM wants to integrate the tavern owner into their game and the personality of that tavern owner. No tavern owner has to be the same - they shouldn't be! That's what makes the world feel so alive. Some secondary motivations could include:

- Helping adventurers on their journeys

- Perfecting a certain recipe.

- Being the best tavern in the city, especially better than That One Tavern that used to be run by an old friend-turned-rival.

- Collecting as many interesting recipes for food and drink as possible. This tavern owner probably offers quests for the intrepid party to do such things.

- Covering up a crime family's illicit activities to protect their family. Maybe the party gets them out of that situation.

Why Should I Include This?

Well, chances are, you're going to anyway. Like I said, taverns and tavern owners are staples in D&D. Take this opportunity to make your world feel a little more alive. Let the people in your world feel more like people. If your adventures aren't going to take your players to many taverns, then don't build up the tavern owners all that much. You may not need it. Still, it never hurts to have a general idea of what they're like.

I like the idea of a party walking into a tavern and asking that question they always ask - "Is there anyone interesting in the tavern tonight?" - and replying with, "Actually, one of the people who stands out most to you is the bartender." That will send them walking in the direction of the bar... right to their quest-giver, right to a potential new friend, and right to the plot hook.

NPC Concept: The... Very Strange... Guildmasters

Overview

This is a concept that I'm currently testing in my Matchmaker Campaign because of the nature of the players' ability to accept "side quests" and the fact that they're running in upper class circles.

Most, if not all, fantasy settings have guilds of some kind. Some fantasy settings, like my worlds of Farrowyn and Roglovar, have adventurer's guilds. Today, I want to focus on the leaders or guildmasters of adventurer's guilds in those kinds of settings. The guildmaster of an adventurer's guild would probably be a former adventurer, right? Well, some adventurers can be pretty weird. Some can be morally gray.

And, if you're a DM like me, sometimes you really like to subvert expectations and pull something like I said I did in this tweet.

Function / Motivations

Before we get into the craziness that is a lich being an adventurer's guildmaster, let's take things a little slower. Who, in your world, would be a prime candidate for someone to head up an adventuring guild? For me, the answer is almost always retired adventurers. How "high level" are they? Obviously, they need to be a cut above most other adventurers, so... how high is that? In my worlds, I always say that most adventurers that you meet never make it past level 8. More often than not, if you meet a well-known adventurer, they're probably close to level 8. This isn't always the case; my Pirate Lords in TPW are anywhere between level 12 and 14 but that's because they're meant to be challenging. Many of the cult leaders in TPW are level 20 characters with increased health and magic items because they are the BBEGs. I'd put a guildmaster somewhere in the level 10 to 12 range if I was making them a PC-type character with a character sheet.

I always give guildmasters like these strange quirks, or I create them based on some of my more chaotic character builds and concepts. They may also have knowledge about specific things. This one is obsessed with beholders because a beholder killed their whole party one time. This one knows a lot about the Feywild because they accidentally spent hundreds of years there once. It makes them more interesting as characters, and that information might be pertinent to a party member's backstory or even the main quest.

Like I said, I like to do the unexpected, hence why I made the guildmaster of the adventurer's guild in the capital city of the kingdom a lich. Why? Well, firstly, I thought it'd be funny. I never expected the players to meet him, but due to a well-placed cast of Primeval Awareness by our Ranger, they did. Otherwise, they might have heard about him along the way or met him in another place while he was away on business, but other than that, I expected them to have no idea. Having guildmasters like these are more interesting for the DM than anything. It also means that you have a secret weapon up your sleeves - a surprise for the party. I've done this outside of a guildmaster setting too, but it's so funny to me that adventurers would follow the kinds of creatures that they're meant to fight. Other examples of these kinds of creatures I have used or seen used before (not necessarily in this context, but in my campaigns in general) include:

- A beholder, True Polymorphed into a halfling and forced to repent for the wrongs he's done.

- A dragon, shape-changed into a person. Matt Mercer has done this in the first campaign of Critical Role and I've also played in a campaign where that was the case.

- A lich who was fighting an adventuring party that took pity on him for some reason, and allowed him to join the guild they were part of. This is, word for word, the explanation of the lich in my Tweet as to why he was in the guild to begin with.

- A djin of some kind who's trapped here on this plane for whatever reason.

- A devil because they're crafty and all they want is a group to be in charge of, but they don't necessarily have evil intentions. Why do all evil-looking things have to be evil? This is D&D - they don't. 

- A demigod or oracle who has extreme power and wants to use it to help the heroes of the realm. 

Obviously, these creatures don't follow the rule of "level 10 to 12" for guildmasters. If you want to put these ideas into your campaign, make sure you have a reason as to why they're able to be in those positions. After all, nobody just... lets a lich be a guildmaster for no reason. He had to have either deceived his way there, or was allowed in by someone with more power bureaucratically than him.

They can serve a few main functions. My primary function for them is information-givers. They've been around the block and they know a lot about many things, sometimes very specific things. My players can go to them if they feel like they might know something about a creature or object related to a quest. Secondarily, they can be quest-givers, though I would say that these quests are typically more difficult and would probably be more like fetch quests or quests that have to do with killing an especially large or difficult monster. They'd definitely have better rewards though.

Another function is that of some kind of antagonist. They could be corrupt and involved with noble blackmail and bribing. After all, a guildmaster who was a former adventurer would probably have a fair bit of personal gold. They'd definitely be invited to parties and galas held by noble families. They could also be antagonists in a more direct way: violent, cruel to others or their employees, or involved in evil plots against noble families. The monster-like guildmasters are great for evil plots because... they're already monsters. Or again, if you want to subvert expectations, have two guildmasters of two different adventurer's guild. One is a green dragon in disguise and the other is a cleric of a Neutral war god. Pit them against each other, or make them both suspicious in a plot against a noble family. If the party knows the identity of the green dragon, they may be more inclined to believe that they're the culprit because green dragons are evil. Then, subvert expectations and - surprise! It was the war cleric all along!

Why Should I Include This?

Honestly, I like this concept because of its intrigue and because of the variety. You can have one guildmaster that's just a veteran adventurer, and another who's a djin that people follow because of... some reason within your own world.

It also extends into other occupations or other types of guilds, but I think that an adventuring guild is the best place for weird guildmasters because... well, many players make strange character concepts. Adventurers are, historically, very weird. There's a great option to play that up here, and make some really memorable NPCs that can be funny and creepy all at once.

NPC Concept: The Eccentric Zoologist and his Assistant

Overview:

This is a concept that I've used before, although sparingly. This NPC is one that my players don't see often, but they remember him.

The concept is for a type of scientist, and I'll be referring to the scientist as "he" because in every iteration, I've always had this scientist as male. However, he definitely doesn't have to be. I classified him as a zoologist because his field of study is exceptional and magical creatures. He has a covered wagon that he travels with that's far bigger on the inside. The inside is a huge zoo, filled with creatures of every imaginable sort.

There's also a second part to this concept that is optional, but I think it makes for a great character dynamic. That's the assistant role. They're either studying under the zoologist, or they're just hired help to handle care for the creatures. That's up to your discretion.

Function / Motivation

I've always played the zoologist as eccentric, loud, intelligent, but definitely not very perceptive or wise. I've also always made him interested in the ability to essentially create new creatures that are hybrids of creature types (for example: creatures that have fey and elemental traits, and are therefore considered to be "felementals.") So, he does a lot of experiments with what I've explained as a kind of "magical gene splicing" to my players. His assistant, on the other hand, is stressed, overworked, underpaid, and a little incompetent, especially under pressure. They don't understand the experiments and they have no desire to. This is the NPC that the players interact with the most, but chances are (if your players are like mine) they'll like them less than the zoologist himself.

I've used this pair as quest-givers before. Their quests almost always involve the assistant messing up in some way (a creature gets loose, the assistant has other work to do and can't go searching for a creature his boss wants) and then the party having to fix it before the boss finds out. This is honestly my favorite way to play these NPCs because they can also give really good rewards. This pair is the perfect way to give your players a pet, if you wanted. They breed several magical creatures so it wouldn't be impossible for them to part with one for free. I've always kind of had them be travelers too, so they can show up anywhere where the party might go and they'll almost always have some kind of quest for the party to complete. How many times a creature is offered as a reward is honestly up to the DM's discretion. I know some groups don't really enjoy the whole "pets" thing.

Another potential quest could include one of the zoologist's experiments going awry. That experiment could, honestly, be something contained. It could only threaten the covered wagon the zoo is in, or it could only threaten the town the wagon is in at the moment. The experiment could also, absolutely be something potentially world-ending. I can totally picture the zoologist thinking to himself, So... what would happen if I spliced a tarrasque and a beholder together? Then, he'd try... and now you have a creature with all the resistances of a tarrasque and all of the beholder's eye rays, including the anti-magic cone.

That would be, from a player's perspective, one of my worst nightmares. From a DM's perspective though, that's a very credible threat.

You could also have the spin where the zoologist is creating dangerous creatures with the intent to use them to destroy the world. Now the zoologist takes on an antagonist role. Maybe the assistant starts out helping their boss, but then defects to try and help the party because "he's gone too far."

There's definitely potential to be explored with this pair of characters, and I think their demeanors compliment each other in either presented scenario.

Why Should I Include This?

Well... why not? Do your players want pets? This pair will give them one. Do your players want to fight cool magical creatures? Now they have a reason.

This also gives a particularly creative DM the chance to homebrew their own interesting creatures, or bring in other content creators' homebrewed creatures. Explore that idea of "magic gene splicing" with them, and see if it has potential somewhere else. For example, my players in my Tri-Panthonic War Campaign have contacted the zoologist before to see if he could cure a disease that one of their beloved NPCs had developed - a disease that was determined to be genetic. He's working on it.

These are the kinds of NPCs that your players will remember, and if they see them again or spot their wagon, if you play them in an engaging and enjoyable way, your players will run towards them.

NPC Concept: The Veteran Adventuring Party

Overview:

This is another concept that I actively use in my Tri-Panthonic War (TPW) Campaign. I like the trope of the "veteran adventurers" a lot. I think it gives the players something to aspire to, and those NPCs can actually serve a much larger purpose - dead or alive. In my campaign, they're living, and they exist in the form of a group known as the "Chroma Conquerors." They received that name because in the 15 years that they spent adventuring together, they killed over 100 chromatic dragons, including ancient ones. I'll be referring to them here pretty consistently, so I want to put their names, races, and classes here as a reference.

*Please note that I do reuse NPCs across campaigns as a Dungeon Master, especially when I have two different groups playing two different games. Those who are familiar with my "Welcome to the System Space" Campaign will note that Confidence Milton also appears there. This iteration of him is entirely different and separate from that one even though they share similarities. When these campaigns are over, I'll have to make posts about them and truly distinguish between them.*

- Confidence Milton: Tiefling Eldritch Knight Fighter

- Celorfin "Finn" Lihtaur: High Elf Archfey Warlock of The Summer Queen, Pact of the Chain

- Ianlin Jorsif: Forest Gnome Horizon Walker Ranger

- Irienne Yauda: Firbolg Oath of the Ancients Paladin of Artemis

- Helena Cassius: Human College of Glamour Bard

- Simon Cleves: Protector Aasimar of Oghma Conjuration Wizard

Let's dive into the possibilities of having NPCs like these guys!

Function and Motivations:

Depending on your setting, these types of NPCs can serve several functions and have varying motivations.

The Chroma Conquerors serve several roles. If you look at the list of PCs in this campaign (which can be found under "Characters in My Campaigns") you'll notice that some characters share last names with some of the Conquerors. Venus is Confidence Milton's granddaughter. Yera was adopted by Finn and his husband, Caldor, during the campaign. Finn also travels as a diplomat alongside the party, as the voice of their cause against cults. In those cases, the Conquerors take on familial and mentorship roles. Venus even refers to Confidence as "grandpa" and the other Conquerors as "auntie" or "uncle." Yera calls Finn "Dad" or "Dad-Finn" when "Dad-Cal" is also around.

The veteran party can also serve other functions, some of which are far more indirect. Some examples:

- Have this veteran party be the patron of this new party's adventure. Let them fund it. Let them be the quest-givers for once.

- Have this beloved veteran party that has risen to fame and power suddenly go missing. Now the new party has to try and find them.

- Does the veteran party mirror the PC party? Is it maybe just a little creepy? If so, is there a reason why? Let the PCs find it. Maybe the veteran party is dead in this case, and there's some reincarnation stuff happening.

- Always a classic: make this veteran party into the BBEGs of the campaign. Give them a reason to have turned evil. Maybe they were evil all along, and nobody realized it until just now. Make that reveal the plot hook of the game.

- Turn the veteran party into mentors for the new party (much like I did) and then do the classic "kill the mentor" trope. Now the party is super invested in avenging their deaths.

Additionally, I should mention, don't make this veteran party well-liked everywhere or by everyone. Give them a specific region where they have considerable sway. Maybe the world knows their names and has a rough idea of their deeds, but that region knows the specifics. That region has the literature, the artifacts, the soldiers and mages who fought alongside them, etc. In TPW, the Conquerors have the northern continent: Iparnord, but specifically, the country of Midtia. That continent was largely where the dragon problem was. Midtia was the country that gave them an army and eventually knighted them. The rest of the world knows them but has varying opinions about how "heroic" they really are, especially after it came to light that the Chroma Conquerors were the cause of the dragon problem in the first place. In that same vein, there's an air of mystery about a veteran adventuring party, in a way. Much of their story can be played up or down for wider audiences. Some of it may not be true. That was the case with the Conquerors. If this group of NPCs is going to be integral to your story, then this is another angle to look at it from.

Adventuring in D&D is often played as morally gray. Play that up here. Maybe this veteran party wants to help the PCs but they have a completely different way of doing it that doesn't quite fit the PCs' morals. That creates conflict. Maybe this becomes an example of the "new guard replacing the old guard." How do the veterans feel about that? Do they consider themselves "too old for this" at this point in their lives? Are they supportive of the "changing of the guard" or do they oppose it?

Conflict within the veteran party is also an interesting avenue for the PCs to explore. Maybe the PCs' goal is to, for lack of a better phrase, "get the band back together" but there was a falling out. Why? How do the party members feel about each other after that?

If your veteran party has a close relationship with the PCs, give them trauma and stories to tell of their adventuring days. Each of the Chroma Conquerors have stories from their "glory days" that evoke happiness, grief, regret, bliss, camaraderie, and other emotions. 

- Confidence had a daughter (Lydia, Venus's mother) who he left with her mother and pretty much neglected for the first fifteen years of her life so he could fight dragons. 

- Finn had a fiancée who was part of the Conquerors' larger army. She was killed. Finn found out later that she was scheduled to leave the army after that mission due to the fact that she was pregnant. 

- Helena was horribly scarred and blinded in their very last fight against an ancient black dragon. Her injuries ultimately led the Conquerors to make the choice to retire.

These are only some of the stories my players know about. There are several more that they don't know about and I can't recount them all because my players do, in fact, read this blog. Stories like these foster a connection between players and NPCs. They also provide warnings in a more serious campaign setting: sometimes adventuring can lead you to "bad endings." Behind every great victory, there could also be a great loss. The rewards from adventuring are great, but so are the risks.

Why Should I Include This?

I like mentor figures in fantasy settings. I know they're clichéd, but there's something about them and the relationships that come out of them that appeal to me. The "mentor death" trope, in my opinion, is optional, but can be very compelling and emotional if done correctly.

Even so, there's so much other potential with a group like this. There are multiple avenues that you can traverse as a DM. Work with whatever fits into your setting. The Chroma Conquerors are currently serving the purposes that I needed and wanted them to. They've become an integral part of the story and my players joke in-character about them. A veteran party can be a great starting point for a campaign, both from a roleplay perspective and a plot perspective.