Non-Player Character

NPC

Non-player characters (NPC's) are characters who contribute to the story of a player character (PC) in myriad of ways.

Companion NPCs (CNPCs)

Owned NPC's are referred to as Companion NPCs or CNPCs. They need only be aligned with the player character in some way, and their owner has final say over what happens to them in a plot, just as they do their own player character.

Each CNPC begins with 100 XP to allocate as they wish towards skills and merits, with further progression gifted to them from the player's own XP through the Experience Ledger . There is no limit on Arcana, race, and so on. However, PNPCs cannot be awarded free Merits nor forms of experience debt aside from being an Adult Dragon, and you must pay off that debt before writing another Adult Dragon CNPC.

CNPC Merit progression is separate from the player's, and they may be replaced when permanently retired or killed, XP transferred to the PC or another NPC. You may own up to 5 CNPCs at a time. After this, you must pay 25 XP for another, then 50 XP, and so on, or else use the Formations System.

You may not Sunder a CNPC unless you OOCly pay a Converted Gold Cost for its Alkahest.

Story NPC's (SNPCs)

NPCs used only for stories are referred to as Story NPCs or SNPCs. These NPCs are made by the player and tracked in their Character Sheet, but they are not typically aligned with the player's goals. These are used for recurring side characters, mentors, baddies, and so on who do not participate in conflict on the player's side, or regular enemies. You still have final say on what happens to these, but they should not participate in any conflict or give your character any tangible reward that you haven't at least paid for OOC with Gold or XP.

SNPC's do not need to be written up until they become a recurring character - more two threads.

SNPC Progression

Each SNPC begins with up to 500 XP, allocated towards up to 1 Master skill with the rest at Expert or below. They do not normally advance their skills.

Restrictions

There are no limitations on what an NPC can be, but permission must be sought if they possess Major Merits such as powerful titles, dragons (excepting the adult dragon), continental or world enterprises and factions, artifacts made from a Globe or more of Alkahest, or Ascended Arcana. If you kill, receive, or steal a magical resource or item from a story NPC, you must pay a converted gold cost, and any artifacts must be Attuned.

Antagonist NPC (ANPC)

An Antagonist NPC or ANPC matches any XP spent on the Player Character's Skills, Arcana, Merits, & Abilities. They will match the Player Character's free Merits, and their Merit progression is still separate from the player's. If the Player finishes a Major Merit quest, then the ANPC can spend XP to do the same without needing approval. They otherwise follow all the same rules as an SNPC, but should be opposed to the player character in some way. Each Player Character only gets one, but may be replaced when permanently retired or killed once every year OOC.

Forum NPC's (FNPCs)

A Forum NPC or NFPC is any NPC found in a content article on the forum. You must follow any relevant permissions written into their write-up or associated rules for that forum. You must get both permission from the author, and community permission to make significant changes to an FNPC's station through In-Character interaction, or to alter or kill them. FNPCs can be developed in the submission forum together with their associated content, or by a City Moderator. Limitations to FNPCs depend on the city they are being made for, and the scarcity or believability of the content being submitted.

Antarok Handbook

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