NPCs

Local Color

NPCs providing "local color" are bit parts by another name. These are redshirts, random vendors, and any other people briefly singled out from the largely faceless and nameless populace. They have no particular skills and can provide no significant benefits to PCs (i.e. Resources, assets, training, special information), but may be used without restriction in any single thread. NPCs of this type may not be recurring figures; if they are to appear more than once, they must be submitted as either Personal or Public NPCs.

Personal NPCs

Personal NPCs are associated with a particular character and used to further their own personal plots. They may be self-modded without restriction; they may also be played by Storytellers in threads involving the PC. These are characters with no better than an Ordinary Lifestyle, no particular prestige, and limited skills; they cannot provide the PC with Resources or assets. An NPC's skills are dependent upon age: a child may have one Expertise; adolescents two; adults three; and elders four. They may have no more than one Expertise in any single skill. Players who want to be connected with a more capable NPC must make them available for public use (see below).

Personal NPCs come in two categories: Independent and Dependent.

Independent: Any NPC whose Lifestyle is not contingent upon that of the PC, such as rivals, informants, friends, and self-supporting family members (parents, siblings, etc.). These NPCs do not cost the PC Resources, but neither may the PC benefit materially from them. For affiliates such as informants or suppliers, PCs are still expected to pay for benefits obtained, such as information.

Dependent: An NPC that is supported by the PC, either through directly maintaining their Lifestyle or by paying the NPC a wage. This category includes children, slaves, employees, business partners, and anyone else who is either dependent upon the PC or may materially contribute to the PC's Lifestyle. All dependent NPCs, except children, have a seasonal maintenance cost equal to the NPC's Lifestyle level. Costs are waived for children. Note that NPCs will weaken, sicken, and die if maintained at less than an Ordinary Lifestyle, and children will not survive the season if the PC's Lifestyle falls below Ordinary.

Group NPCs

These are NPCs who are members of a PC-led group. They are identical to personal dependents, except that their expenses come out of the group ledger and thus may be shared across active group members.

Public NPCs

Public NPCs are typically characters who fulfill a role in society. They may be exceptionally skilled, business or facility owners, members of government, or otherwise have some degree of renown. Skill and Expertise distributions for public NPCs are variable, but typically they may have no more than one Exceptional skill and no more than four skills total. All public NPCs are available for any player or staff member to use in threads, within reason. PCs may not receive Resources, assets, or significant information from public NPCs without prior approval.

All public NPCs must be submitted to and approved by a Moderator before they can be used in threads. Note that each public NPC must occupy a distinct niche and fill a perceived need in the polity; NPCs whose creation does not benefit the polity at large, including those who duplicate roles already filled, will be denied. Players are encouraged to incorporate existing public NPCs into their plots instead, or else use ordinary personal NPCs.

Note that if a PC who submitted a public NPC goes inactive, the NPC may be retired from their position at Moderator discretion, with no guarantee of reinstatement if the PC returns.

Moderated NPCs

Moderated NPCs are plot drivers and significant figures whose use in threads is restricted to staff members. Players may not self-mod these NPCs.

Skillsets for moderated NPCs are highly variable, but general guidelines are:

Group Max Exp Max Skills Limits
Tier 1 12 7 max two above Professional, one may be Master
Tier 2 10 6 max two Exceptional
Tier 3 8 5 max one Exceptional

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