Writting adventures for Heroquest

[Barna]

During my recent brush with RPG theory, I´ve discovered a lot of new ideas regarding RPG´s and their structure. This, in turn, has made me analyze the way I usually write adventures for my group. I´ve realized that I always follow the same format for creating adventures, and that perhaps there are another ways of dealing with this.

Since I´ll be playing HQ next, I thought I´d ask how you people usually create adventures for your groups in the HQ system. It might be a bit too specific, but at the same time it seems easier to grasp these changes "inside" a set system. I have a VERY rough idea of GNS and I know little Forge jargon, so please kindly explain when you use terms such as "bang".

Regarding my "style of writting", I usually base my adventures on a plot. I choose a series of hard points (things that really should happen in the story) and soft points (things that could happen or not without greatly affecting the story). To give you a rough idea of our play style, from what I´ve read I guess we are mainly a narrativist bunch, with some of our members having a repressed penchant for gamist stuff  ;).

[Mike Holmes]

What I should do is to go find all the other times we've been over this. Because we've written a ton here on what works well for HQ as we read it. But, I think I can keep it short and to the point, and make it about the same amount of effort as linking everything here. That said, if anyone else wants to come up with some links, go ahead.


The first place to dig around here is regarding a scenario called "Well of Souls." And google up the final product using the title and the name Nordstrom.

There is really only one crucial rule to how we believe "adventures" should be written. And that's to write situations, not plots. Basically a HQ character sheet is brimming with potential for things about the character to develop, and it's a shame if the narrator writes up some "scenario" that's a set of scenes, and forces the players to follow along it. Even if it's well designed and aimed at the character's issues, the fact that it has a pre-determined ending is problematic for both player enjoyment, and even structurally. How do you deal with the fact that in HQ chacters are going to fail regularly.

So, if there's no set of scenes, then what do we prepare? Some people get the idea that one should just wing it entirely. Know what? That's better than having a plot prepared. But it's not what we advocate. There is a way to have good preparation ready, and not have the classic scene scenario waiting for the players.

And that's basically to set up a situation in which the characters find themselves, or will become embrioled that's quite complicated, and to have ideas for how it could become even more complicated.

There have been several techniques created to do this. Chris Chinn (of of the WOS authors), has written several good articles on some of these techniques on various sites. But largely these all boil down to having lots of NPCs who all have some sort of conflicting agendas into which the PCs become entangled.

So, quite simply, take the set up for any good plot, or RPG adventure, and then allow the players to decide where things go by their character's decisions. Let them drive play.

Now, is that it? No, though the narrator is not the leader in where the plot goes, neither is he the follower. He's a full collaborator in the process. What he does is to interject events into play that, again, complicate things. This is what he does for inter-session preparation, he thinks of things that the NPCs or environment might do that will make it so that the players must have their characters make decisions to move the plot forward. So, instead of the Narrator moving the plot himself, his job is to prod the players to move the plot. And that can take a lot of creativity to do well, so it's best done in preparation as much as possible.

This is what bangs are, by the way. Event ideas that the narrator has on hand for use if/when things slow down. These events only force the player to make some decision, but not which decision. That's the key. If you know what the player will do when presented with the event, it's not a bang. If he can walk away without making some statement about the character, then it's not a bang.

Have about 3 bangs per character figured out. The NPCs should be created solely for their likelihood in bringing these bangs about. The story is not about the NPCs, but about what the PCs do when the NPCs motives require the PCs to do something.

That's it, that's the basics.

Now, if you've never done this, it's not easy the first time. Especially if you're used to preparing plots. So what I'd suggest is that you post an example situation here, rife with conflict that relates to the characters you have, and then we'll look at doing the bang prep, and tweaking the situation.

What's that, haven't got any characters yet? If there's a downside to this method it's that it's best to have the characters already created so you can tailor the adventure material to them. Oh, you can come up with a general outline, perhaps, but you'll do less work if you start the prep with the characters in hand.

What's great about this sort of prep is that, when you get good at it, it takes only a couple of hours or so before the first session, and then about ten minutes between each session to keep up with the prep-work. Part of why you need little is because when you get going playing this way, you and the other players will be creating bangs in play with little effort, and you won't have to rely on much of the prep-work. But you can be confident, because you know it's there to fall back on.

Anyhow, that's all there is to it, really. Only practice will make you any good at it, though. Like anything else. :-)

Mike

[CCW]

As I happen to have them bookmarked, here are Chris Chinn's latest 'how-to' essays:

Flag Framing

The Conflict Web

and...

The Well of Souls

Charles

[Valamir]

I'll boil down Mike's as always spot on advice even further...and go so far as to state that this method works for virtually any game, not just HQ.

1) Invent a bunch of very cool NPCs...you should be as interested in these NPCs as you would be in your own characters...cuz they are, but you should not have any vested interested in any particular outcome for any of them.

2) The NPCs should have their own goals and objectives.  What are they trying to accomplish?  Could be on a big conquer-the-universe scale, or a small all-in-the-family scale.  Frankly I think smaller scales work better because they involve more human connections that people can relate to.  The NPCs might be on teams, sides, factions, ad hoc alliances, blood enemies or any other relationship.  Whatever they are they are about to engage each other in a no holds barred cage match to get what they want.

3) Figure out how this web of conflicting goals will most likely play out if there are no PCs.  i.e. wind up your collection of NPCs and watch them go in your own mind.  Who kills who.  Who loves who.  Who betrays who.  Who robs from who.  Figure out what happens if the PCs never show up or simply walk away.  This way you always know what the NPCs are going to be trying to accomplish.

4) Now throw the PCs in the mix.  Ideally some of the NPCs are relationships already listed on the PC sheets as allies, family, hated enemies, mentors, whatever.  If the players care about those relationships (and they should if you all do your job in character creation) then some of them have a tie to that web of NPCs already.  In addition, create a matrix of NPCs vs. PCs (in your head or literally as desired).  Try to figure out for each NPC: given #3 above, what does this NPC want from that PC.  They may want assistance against another NPC.  They may want protection.  They may want the PC to help them kill someone.  They may want the PC to just get lost.  Its not necessary to tie every NPC to every PC but you should have enough of these connections that game prep is nothing more than figuring out which string to pull next.  Whatever they want they REALLY want it, won't take no for an answer and however the PCs respond it will have repurcussions (new friends, new enemies).

5) Don't hide your secrets.  Hunt the clue is no fun.  If you have NPCs who desperately want to accomplish something and desperately need the PCs help in doing it, then those NPCs are going to be coming to the PCs not waiting for the PCs to pay them a visit.  A good rule of thumb is to figure out what the NPC is likely to spill about what they know (intentionally or not) and waste no time in conveying that to the players.  Don't wait for the players to ask for it...force it down their throats.  And then spill more.  Always spill more than your instinct tells you to spill.  And then let the players take that information and interpret it or misinterpret it to their hearts content. 

6) After that its just constantly rewriting #4 based on events and the players actions; always keeping in mind what the NPCs wanted in #3.  Have no preconceived notion of which NPCs get what the want and which don't or which are the "good guys" and which the bad.  Keep the pressure up.  Have those NPCs yank the PCs six ways till tuesday.  Remember, the NPC is absolutely obsessed with getting what they want...and absolutely convinced that they need the PCs help to get it (or absolutely convinced that the PC is in their way).

[Barna]

OK, this will probably be a long one, so bear with me...

I currently have 4 players in my 7th Sea campaign. We´ve been playing for three years now, but since we do not meet as often as I´d like, you could say the characters are at about Journeyman status in their main skills & talents. 7th Sea´s "Theah" (earth) could be thought of very roughly as a musketeer & pirate world with some oddities here and there.

Now, onto my players...

Gabriel plays Diego de Herrera y Aldana, a Castillan (7th Sea for "Spanish") Knight of the Rose & Cross. This is a group of heroic & panache-y heroes who try to bring about the evolution of spirit through enlightment (think masons + templars but still religious & pious, trying to uncover the "power of human spirit" through heroism and good deeds). He is an orphan and lived with a fencing master before being introduced to the order. The campaign started with him runnning away from his Domini (that´s master or tutor; think of it as a master-padawan relationship) because of a letter he received indicating that someone had information regarding his parents. This served as the main adventure "impulse" during almost two years of play (see ahead). His character is heroic, charming and knightly, mainly when it comes to helping others even if it means delaying other pressing matters. He is a talented swordsman, a good investigator and has an attractive appearance.

Juan Pablo plays Remy, a Montaigne thief & knife fighter. He was a petty thief when young and then became an enforcer for a local crime boss, accidentally killing a man who owed money to his employer. He was terribly shocked by this and vowed to renounce his life of crime, fleeing to Castille, but he eventually took up stealing again. He would´ve been hanged in southern Castille if it hadn´t been for Fiorella, who saved his neck. He vowed to repay his life debt to her and has followed her track ever since. His character is your average rogue; ironic, not very talkative and good-natured. Though silent, he has an habit of cracking the group up with his dry wit. He has a knack for drawing, is incredibly agile and talented with knives.

Belen plays Fiorella Malatesta, an adventurous filosopher lady & andventurer. She was born in Vodacce (again, 7th Sea for Italy...boy do they like to invent new names ;) ) and managed to escape the repressive & chavinistic environment of her country. She learned philosophy and is now a published author, although the academic mainstream resents her a bit. Fiorella  is not your average scholar; she is more than capable of defending herself with a sword or without and has a sharp tongue. She is currently working on a study regarding the nature of the romantic hero in comparison to the medieval knight.

Ignacio plays Vassily Fyedorov, an Ussuran (Russian) ranger & woodsman. A bold & daring youngster, he was hero material right from his early years. He lived on the ussuran steppes until age twenty, becoming an accomplished hunter & survivalist. He later fell in love with the daughter of a local noble and vowed to travel across Theah to obtaing glory & honor in order to win her heart. He had a few adventures before running into the rest of the characters. Vassily is strong & resilient, comfortable outdoors, a bit naive and traditionalist. He is a good archer and proficient when fighting with two axes.

Starting in southern Castille, the group travelled north having countless adventures, following Diego in his quest to find his parents. He did not tell them that he was a Knight of the Rose & Cross at the beggining but the group eventually found out. After all their travels, they arrived at the Rose & Cross home city (where their home base is) in northern Montaigne, only to realize that the whole thing had been a trap to get Diego´s master (who had been trailing the group even since they left). Fortunately the group managed to escape the trap & send the villains packing, but Diego was trialed by the R&C and put on probation. During the trial, however, he found out who his parents truly where. He was then sent to Avalon (England) to continue his apprenticeship and the whole group followed him there.

They have had a few adventures in Avalon, and they are currently tracking half a dozen barrels of grey gunpowder (gunpowder almost 10 times as strong as the standard one, a weird ancient trinket found in Theah). They do not yet know that the ones who stole it intend to blow up the Scottish parliament and kill the Scottish High King, bringing the triple alliance between Avalon (England), the Highland Marches (Scotland) and Inismore (Ireland) to an end.

Since they´ve found a lot of troubling situations in the road, the group has split in two, with Diego & Fiorella ready to board a ship heading for Scotland and Vassily & Remy two or three days worth of riding behind (they took some time to help two towns solve some issues).

That´s roughly were we are standing right now. I´ll write some more info later.

[Mike Holmes]

Credit where credit is due, what Ralph and I are expounding about largely comes from Ron Edwards' game Sorcerer and it's various supplements. Ron talks very specifically about the "Relationship Map" and invented the term "Bang" in the definition that I used it as well. Most of the other methods for creating such situations come from this seminal stuff.

Anyhow, it looks like you've already got a ton of meat to work with, and I'm looking forward to seeing what sort of situation you develop out of what you already have. Shouldn't take much effort at all.

Mike

[Peter Nordstrand]

Who the hell is Nordstrom?

Love,

/Nordstrand

[Mike Holmes]

Hey, you're in good company, I recently mistyped Mark Galeotti's last name as Gagleotti.

In the name of disambiguation, and to answer your question Peter: Nordstrom's is a large chain of department stores here in the US: www.nordstrom.com

Just to make things easy (and actually be useful), however, here's a link to Well of Souls: http://www.geocities.com/doctorpeace/well.html

Mike

[Barna]

OK, let me try this a bit. I'm not sure I'm correctly applying these ideas, so bear with me...

REMY & VASSILY (montaigne thief & ussuran woodsman)

Remy and Vassily have just arrived at Escavalon, a town in Avalon which has experienced serious problems for the last months; crops wither and rot, cows die in the middle of the fields, milk goes sour from night to day, etc. When they both arrive, they realize that this people are in deep trouble, and that Diego and Fiorella passed by two days ago. Accusations of witchcraft & the like are starting to appear again and the place is in turmoil.

The first issue is whether to stay and help the town, effectively cutting themselves out from their friends, or riding on in order to join the rest of the group ASAP. That would be conundrum number one, a conflict stemming from their own friend/hero duality.

On the other hand, I do need someone opposing them in the town. Someone responsible for all of this. As a matter of fact, from the moment the characters arrive, he marks them as scapegoats. If they stay to help, he will try to destroy them or blame them. If they leave, he'll catch up with them on the roads and try to do the same.
The characters are unaware of who this person is (so am I, for now... ;) ).

DIEGO AND FIORELLA

I already set the ground last session for a duel Diego will be having with a noble he fought some time ago (a duel which was stopped by the timely arrival of another noble of higher station). After that, a friend of theirs in the Explorer Society has volunteered to help them reach the Highland Marches.

However, some time ago, this same friend fought a ship manned by Villanova's men (THE most dangerous & vile of the seven Vodacce princes). They won the battle and, against the PC's wishes, their friend blew the Villanova ship up (no people inside, but still...messing with a merchant prince's vessels). Old Villanova has been harbouring a grudge and the PC's will find a Villanova vessel at sea, out for revenge on the Explorer's Society. There will be battle and things can turn either way (depending on the PC's).

THE BIGGER PICTURE

I think I still need to flesh out the plot & motivations of the main villain spurring the whole gunpowder plot thing. The guy is King Piram, an influential Avalon noble who dislikes the Queen and plots under her nose to get her out of the throne. Still, I'm not sure on how my players fit in his plans. As a matter of fact, since Escavalon is in his territory, perhaps Vassily & Remy can confront one of his minions, the one responsible for all the town's problems.

[Sydney Freedberg]

This is a cool start, but you're not quite there yet, I think.

Let me zoom in on three things:

1.

Remy and Vassily have just arrived at Escavalon, a town in Avalon which has experienced serious problems for the last months; crops wither and rot, cows die in the middle of the fields, milk goes sour from night to day, etc. When they both arrive, they realize that this people are in deep trouble....

Okay, but why do they care about these people, other than "we're heroes, we save villages, it's what we do"? More importantly, why should the players care about these imaginary people that you made up, other than, "he's the GM, this is clearly this week's adventure, it's what we do"?

Now, if you put somebody you care about in the town that begs them for help (or better yet, says, "go away, we don't need you, we're fine!" in such a way that it's clearly false and they're doomed without help), you're got something going there. You could try to make up a sympathetic NPC on the spot, but it's far more reliable to have the players make somebody up -- maybe pulling on their backstories, maybe inventing "my favorite cousin Henri" or "the bar wench Ekaterina I loved and left long ago" on the spot. Then instead of guessing at what the players will find interesting, they're actively telling oyu.

2.

I do need someone opposing them in the town.  Someone responsible for all of this. As a matter of fact, from the moment the characters arrive, he marks them as scapegoats. If they stay to help, he will try to destroy them or blame them. If they leave, he'll catch up with them on the roads and try to do the same.....Old Villanova has been harbouring a grudge and the PC's will find a Villanova vessel at sea, out for revenge on the Explorer's Society. There will be battle and things can turn either way (depending on the PC's).

In both these cases, the players aren't actually getting to choose anything important: No matter what, the Mysterious Villain is going to find them and try to blame them for the village's problems, and Villanova is going to attack them at sea. The players get to decide where and how they oppose these enemies, to some extent, but not whether they oppose them at all.

A true Bang is something like, "Join me and together we will rule the Galaxy as father and son": Maybe your players will say, "dude! Cool! I totally join him and rule the galaxy!", or maybe your players fight back, or maybe they run like hell, but whichever way it goes, there are cool consequences to explore. Imagine the potential coolness if you told your players, "hey, you've got a choice: you can try to fight both the Mysterious Villain in the village and Villanova, or you can give Villanova what he wants, somehow paying him back for his ship you sank, and try to get him to help you against the other guy, or you can give the other guy what he wants, leaving the villagers at his mercy, and try to get his help against Villanova, or you can try to trick the bad guys into fighting each other without giving either of them what they want -- what do you choose?"

3.

I do need someone opposing them in the town.  Someone responsible for all of this....the one responsible for all the town's problems....

This is the subtlest but more critical problem. You've got villains who only do bad things to good people There's never any question of whom your heroes should fight and whom they should help. Someone really is "responsible for all of this," that someone is clearly out to get the good guys, and the solution is to find that someone and kill him totally to death. Which, y'know, is fine, but that means it's all about finding clues and fighting people. No moral dilemmas; not much of a story.

But what if the person who's screwing up the village is doing it for a really sympathetic reason -- like, she's a witch, and the village priest took her baby boy away from her and gave him to a foster family because a witch is clearly an unfit mother, so she's gonna give the whole village hell until they tell her where her kid is and give him back to her? Now add in the foster-parents, who just want to keep the kid because they can't have their own, and who couldn't care less about making some big moral point about "witchcraft is wrong," and add in the village elder, who just wants the whole thing to blow over because everyone's crops are getting screwed up, and if he has to kick out the priest or burn the witch at the stake, he'll do it. Then all of a sudden you've got an irreconcilable conflict between at least two sides who all have a claim to the players' sympathy.

Likewise, on the more global scale, maybe Villanova is an evil bastard, but he could also be the only prince strong enough to hold someone even worse at bay -- kind of like deciding between Hitler and Stalin in World War II. Maybe Piram is plotting gunpowder treason against the rightful Queen, but maybe that's only because the Queen is a tyrant who threw Piram's brothers in the dungeon for refusing to fight in her brutal wars of conquest? Maybe Villanova's fleet is the only thing stopping the Queen from shipping her massive army across the sea to invade yet more territories she can't reach by land? And of course the Queen would argue that there are some things worse than war, and the blood of patriots is a price worth paying to be rid of petty princes like Villanova and unite the whole world in peace.....

See where I'm going here? Your job, as GM, is no longer to pick "the villain." The players pick the villain. You just provide them with choices of people to help or hinder, save or kill, and roll with whatever they decide.

[Valamir]

Sydney's a genius at this, listen to Sydney.

The thing about your example is you're still thinking in terms of plot.  You're writing this story about crops and witches and picking in advance what issues the players will see as a conundrum.

Key Number 1:  Think in terms of people. 

1) Who's doing what to whom. 
2) How are those people going to approach the PCs.

There's basically a matrix NPCs on one axis, PCs on the other.  Each NPC may:
a) want the PCs to do something and either ask, bribe, threaten, trick, or steal to get it
b) want to stop the PCs from doing something...maybe even something the PCs haven't thought of doing yet.

Figure those things out (not every single box needs to be filled) and then as soon as the PCs are around you'll know what your NPCs are going to try and do to or get from them.  What those NPCs do and how the PCs react to it then BECOMES the plot.  People interacting in pursuit of their own motives...no pre planned sequence of events required

Key #2: Also, in a swashbuckling game of high adventure everything should be tied together with impossible coincidence.  I mean how likely was it really that Lady DeWinter just happened to be Athos's long lost wife?  How likely?  It was inevitable, of course because that's how these things work in swashbuckling stories.  Monte Cristo's just one long series of impossible coincidences.

So D&F are about to run afoul of Villanova?  Cool.  OF COURSE Villanova is involved in the problems of Escavalon...that's totally inevitable.  But not as the villains...that would be too easy.  That Villanova ship running around?  Its bringing food and medical supplies to Escavalon.  Why?  I don't know...lets go back and think in terms of people.  Figure out who the NPCs are...who in Villanova would want to ship food to Escavalon, who in Escavalon would want them to, who would be trying to stop it?

We could say the Villanova guy is just trying to make a profit by shipping food to starving Escavalon...ok...but that's boring...this requires some impossible coincidence.  Why THAT particular guy with THAT particular ship to THIS particular city at THIS particular time?  OBVIOUSLY there must be a reason, and it must be connected to something that touches on the PCs.  Because that's how these stories work.

So figure out what the people want and how they're going to get it from the PCs, sift in a bunch of coincidences to bring the NPCs you already have back in over and over.  Who knows.  What you thought was a throw away village with a little bitty problem could turn into the most memorable centerpiece of your entire campaign if the players find it engageing. 

Key #3:  Always let your players decide (by how they act and react both in character and out) what they find engageing.  Your job is just to throw stuff at them until something sticks.  If they are totally totally into something that you thought was a piddly thing...guess what...that piddly thing just got a whole lot more important.  Instead of trying to figure out ways to move them along and push them to where the cool stuff is...bring the cool stuff to them.  Those really cool events you had planned to spring on them when they got to the highlands...well maybe you need to rewrite them a bit and spring them in Escavalon if that's where the party is finding engagement.

On the other hand, if they totally couldn't care less, don't force them to stay until they uncover the cool stuff you had planned.  Save that cool stuff and rewrite it to use at some future point when the players are engaged somewhere else. 

[Barna]

I think I can see where you are going. Indeed, when I re-read my post later, I realized I was still thinking plot-wise.

I do have a few objections with some of the points you raised, mainly moral issues. While any genre can present the characters with moral conundrums, I beleive that the swashbuckling genre should use these sparingly. 7th Sea in particular does present the GM with a lot of options for moral "greyness" and debate, but the "bad guys" are still visible in Theah, and while some characters may be ambiguous (the people in the upcoming Montaigne -French- Revolution come to mind), there are some villains who are plain evil, even if they do have interesting personalities.

Still, I think I need to re-build the adventure following the system you suggest. How about the following:

NPC´s opposing the PC´s

King Pyram wants to kill James McDuff in order to send the Triple Kingdom into caos. He will of course try to hide any involvement and uses the Rilasciare (think Theah´s anarchists) in order to do his dirty work. Since he in inmensely powerful, the PC´s cannot go flinging accusations at him. The best they can do right now is try to stop his machinations.

Jeremiah Bosswin is an Avalon scientist. His wife was murdered by King Pyram´s henchmen by mistake. He is now trying to bring him down by causing unrest in his lands. A keen mind and suberb chemist, he chose Escavalon as his initial target. Poisoning the underground water courses with a powerful chemical product, he is slowly ruining the land and bringing chaos to the area.

Giovanni Villanova does not really care about some insignificant Explorer, but he needs to teach Michael Shaw a lesson. He mainly wants to kill or imprison the archeologist (whichever is easier) to set an example for those willing to meddle with his business. The Barbarossa is one of his flagships; it´s current payload is a large ammount of food & supplies for the town of Escavalon. Giovanni has a friend and spy in town, Father Luciano Martelli, who tends for the town and has been facing some difficult times.

How´s that for a start? I´ll post the "neutral" NPCs later

[Barna]

"Neutral" NPCs

Santino Villanova is Giovanni Villanova´s niece. He doesn´t really care about this Michael Shaw character and is only hunting him because his uncle told him so. He is quite "bribable" and if the PC´s are smart, the sea encounter could be solved without much damage or gunfire. He is not stupid, however, and will not close a deal which could give uncle Giovanni the slightest reason not to trust him.

Father Luciano Martelli is an oddity. A vatice (AKA catholic) priest in Avalon, he mas managed to become the spiritual leader of Escavalon, a trusted and respeted community member. He is also a spy for Villanova, something he does not consider at odds with his very honest religious motives (Vodacce mindset and all). He sent a letter to Villanova a few weeks ago requesting for his aide with food & supplies. He will be grateful of anyone who can help out the town.

The Escavalon townsfolk are the standard Avalon country people: generous, hard working and deeply supersticious. They will not ask the characters for aid, but the famine has become quite evident around the place, and so have the accusations of witchcraft and similar stuff. They will be a bit wary of strangers at first (specially Remy, since he is a Montaigne) but can warm up to the players if they decide to help.

[a_verheaghe]

Warning extremely long post!
Barna,
Here is an example of a game setup I put together using the information that the others have shared in this thread and in previous ones similar to it.
This is only really difficult at the beginning, after you start it basically writes itself. Now I'm still in my infancy when it comes to this stuff, so I expect I'll see the same sort of critique you've been seeing.
Basically I put together a long list of characters since my game was meant to be an intro I didn't want to confuse issues with character generation. Players where allowed a lot of leeway in customizing characters to make them their own. Any un-choosen characters drop into the pool of NPCs and possible hooks and bangs.
Then I created (probably way to many- but it does write itself) a list of important figures in the community and their goals and hopes and fears. Based on character selection I know which NPCs to introduce first. If these first introductions don't spark the characters I introduce the next round till something happens. I don't know what –just that something eventually happens.
This same list of characters can be coverted to NPCs if I want to allow the players to generate their own characters, then modify a handful of the NPCs so that they tie into the characters. The game was based on a Mongol/ Hun like nomad peoples.

Uighur Hoof-Touched  
Keywords: Char-Un, Nomad, and Follower of Sunishi, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Uighur is Hoof-touched, which is a polite way of saying he was kicked in the head as a boy, giving him spirit sight and epileptic visions. A winterwolf fang-gifted him and taught him to speak with wolf-kind. Uighur learned scimitar and shield fighting and many foreign ways when he fought Maresson's wars. During these wars he earned the gratitude of a Lunar Noble and won the Fire-kissed barding upon Deathshead his ghost-horse mount. During his travels upon the Death Steppe he learned to make the Laughing Skull Grimace. Since most women fear him he hopes to take many fine slave women one day. Secretly Uighur fears his own death.

Orlokk Twice-Dead
Keywords: Char-Un, Cavalry Soldier (Heavy Lancer), and Follower of Tunal, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Orlokk is Hard-to-Kill; this is proven by the fact he has died twice! Some would say this and his powerful hulking figure are due to Troll lineage, just one of the many rumors about him. His father is noted amongst the clans for his horse breeding skills, and bred Laughs-at-Hurts for him. He served as a Lancer under a Lunar Officer, who paid him much gold and The Sack of Black Souls. Orlokk has two demanding and spoiled wives whose uncanny political savvy he hopes will make him Pan one day. Already he has many influential allies within the tribe.

Dog Boy
Keywords: Char-Un, Warrior, and Follower of Morgzil / Dua the Dog tradition, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

When Dog Boy was 7 he was taken during a raid of the Uradyn Tribe and thrown in the Dog Pit, where against all odds the boy asserted himself as Alpha Male. Dog Boy saw 8 more years as a Mastiff developing canine senses, and fought many battles along side his Mastiff brothers, after which he was adopted by the then il-Pan and became much loved among the warriors. Dog Boy keeps a pack of bloodthirsty war-dogs and the Skull Spirit of his il-Pan adopted father close at hand. Dog Boy fought the Maresson's wars and learned the to wield a REALLY big club.

Storm Rider  
Keywords: Char-Un, Cavalry Soldier (Regular), and Follower of Sunishi, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Storm Rider is, by Char-Un standards, a hopeless romantic, which is frightful by most other cultures standards. His heart belongs to the daughter of the Pan. He is heavily scarred and tattooed with a rugged build, making him quite good looking. Having studied many fighting styles; he has learned to exploit the weaknesses of his opponents. In addition to fighting the Maresson's wars, Storm Rider was student to a Kralori sensei, and is versed in Flying Dagger Kung fu. It was during his travels through Kralorela that he became embroiled in the intrigues of the Kralori Red Dragon Society and learned to summon The Dragon Fog.

Temujin    
Keywords: Char-Un, Cavalry Soldier (Regular), and Follower of the Sun Stallion tradition, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Temujin has a greater then usual kinship with horses and can speak to them with his mind; he is also a renowned trickrider. He developed a blood vendetta against the clan of a warrior of the Bagzil tribe while fighting the Maresson's wars. He has an unusual two sword fighting style and uses the hereditary Seven Song Blades. He is quick of mind and body and is favored by the lo-Pan of Clan ma-Dua, who took one of his sisters as first wife. Temujin's greatest ambition is to capture and tame a Pegasus and has learned much about them. He is also a poet and his extremely long beaded mustache is the envy of many men.

Burruk Knife Tongue
Keywords: Char-Un, Hunter, and Follower of Kargzant, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Burruk is an insightful fellow with a smoldering sneer. He has a sharp tongue and throws scathing insults at those he doesn't care for. He carries a surprising amount of interesting and useful stuff, including a box full of petulant pixies. Burruk is an adept warrior who fought in the Maresson's wars. He is fearful of his cannibal second wife, as are most people, but her ability to brew shrinking potions keeps him from killing her. Burruk has braved the Cave of Secrets and cut the eyes from the basilisk therein.  Burruk is hated by Wicker-Horse for a childhood slight.

Gepid Knowsalot  
Keywords: Char-Un, Warrior and Follower of Bonard the Wise, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Gepid is smart, so smart in fact that he can read with the aid of his finger and remember almost everything. He has studied at the Lunar Academy of War Magic in Glamour, and has many friends there. At the academy he learned to make weapons alight with magic fire and cause men to move with unnatural speed. Gepid also knows the trick Speak to Corpse, and has an ancestral spirit bound into a raven as a familiar. Gepid was cursed by a hag to have only female children and so has never taken a wife. In return for favors granted Gepid has acquired a large herd of horses, but he is also deeply indebted to Chagan, First Wife of the Clan Tukavech lo-Pan


Sabuti
Keywords: Char-Un, Cavalry Soldier (Skirmisher), and Follower of Sunishi, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Sabuti is also a member of the Green Devil Silk Cuts chumi, and is highly regarded by its members. He bears the Blue Face Tattoo, given to him when he left to fight Maresson's wars. Sabuti is the proud owner of an intelligent and well-trained horse upon which rests the Hard-Luck Saddle. He has an impressive swagger and is boastful of his abilities. Sabuti is gregarious to a fault among the Char-Un. Sabuti plays Okrokok and can bring down a man at a ridiculous distance with his bow. He hates the Bear People, who ate his mother the ghost of whom still haunts him.

Zabu-Tizka
Keywords:  Char-Un, Cavalry Soldier (Regular), and Follower of the Foilen the Slayer tradition, Fangs of Winter Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Zabu cuts an imposing and unsettling figure whose presence causes flocks of carrion birds to take flight and cloud the sky at opportune times, and the Death Dirge Choir follows him. His gravelly whispers are easily be heard by those he wishes to hear them.  Requiring no sleep he is the ever-vigilant watchman, the years of sleepless nights honing his senses razor sharp. A geas prevents him from crossing water facing forward, and he has an irrational fear of griffons. In battle he prefers a wicked sword staff that he wields with blinding speed. Trolls granted him the use of the Dark Mother's Quiver.  His heart belongs to the daughter of the Pan


Akha
Keywords: Char-Un, Nomad, and Follower of Sunishi, ***** Brotherhood, of the Kokkochur Tribe, Clan Tukavech

Akha is quite jovial, and why not? He's wealthy, having a great herd, five wives, and many bountiful and lovely daughters, his son Akhaishi is considered a promising warrior and respected Rider and everything he owns is of the highest quality, the spirits smile upon him. He is blessed in that the spirit of his great grandfather, a mighty follower of the Sun Stallion tradition, lives in his flint tipped spear.  His unbridled laughter during battle is disconcerting to others, and only horse racing and wrestling bring him greater joy. Akha is a boastful and proud, particularly of his strength.  He schemes to add the lo-Pan's sacred Golden-eye horses to his herd.
"Who rules the Char-Un? Those who can!"

Clan Tukavech
Tukavech translates to "bringers of war" or "bringers of life", it's hard to tell since the Char-Un word "vech" means both life and war. The clan is primarily traditionalists, although some of it's warriors have returned with cattle and slaves to herd them from the Maressons wars with the Orlanthi barbarians, although they would never dare eat them, they are occasionally sold (along with the Orlanthi slaves) after cattle drives to the cities in the south.  The clan feels the sting of the tribal Pan's favoritism of another clan.

The lo-Pan's Yurt, Clan Tukavech

Nurgai Many Handed,  Clan Tukavech lo-Pan
A follower of the Sun Stallion Tradition Nurgai is very tall, well bearded and mustached. He is unhappy with the shameful praise heaped upon the lo-pan of clan Sabutishi by the Pan Gi-Shang, and envies his prominence in Tribal politics. He is sterile and has taken only one wife whom he neglects. The lo-Pan is a strong traditionalist with a proud spirit, and well trained in the feats-of-war. He bears the Watchful Eye in his glittering left socket, and none have ever caught him unawares. Nurgai is noisy and boisterous, given to jibes and mocking.

Uha,  Clan Tukavech il-Pan
Most feel Uha is the best hunter of the clan, wise in the ways of the wild, and never missing with a bow. Yet to marry, Uha, is fatherly towards the young hunters of the clan. He has taken the Wanderlore Rite. Uha hates the Bear People. Uha earned his place as a bear-skinner by stalking Ivar's killer. The lo-Pan chose Uha over the other warriors, and some doubt his experience and his youth, suggesting Nurgai chose him out of friendship. Uha still must prove himself, with his Stallion Storm Swagger and confident ways.

Chagan, First Wife of the Clan Tukavech lo-Pan
Chagan is the finest healer in the clan. Her skill with herbs and leech craft has saved the lives of many of the clan. Her tolerance and patience are legendary, and her medicine bag is a clan treasure and source of pride.  Her grace and charm have attracted the attention of Oddi Twice-Outlawed, and she despises her husband, and secretly seeks to replace him with an "able" husband. Her brothers in the Sabutishi clan are committed to her endeavors. She is an able knife fighter.

Enq, bodyguard of the Clan Tukavech lo-Pan
Fair hued and with a crooked nose, Enq is ill favored in looks, yet he is much loved by the clan. He is a big strong man, with skillful hands and strong riding skills. A talented swordsman, he strikes so swiftly with his scimitar that three blades seem to flash at once.  He enjoys hawking and Okrokok, and he can share his hawk's vision.  

[a_verheaghe]

Part 2
The Tukavech Camp

Oddi Twice-Outlawed
Oddi is a killer, who has twice been outlawed for kin slaying. Hotheaded and impulsive he is also a indomitable warrior. He is widely traveld from his years in exile, and has many trophies to show for it. Including a fine metal hauberk and silvered sword. Oddi has sworn to see Ingishi beg for his death.

Akhutai, Clan Elder
Akhutai barely qualifies as an elder, although you'd never know due to his constant kvetching. He is notorious amongst the clan for his cantankerous opposition to everything not his own idea. In his day he was a strong and proud warrior. He has managed to sell all but one of his daughters off to influential warriors of Clan Sabutishi, including one of Chagan, First Wife of the Clan Tukavech lo-Pan's brothers,
allowing him insight into that clan's politics and movements.

Primanus,  Missionary of the Seven Mothers Cult
Primanus is an ex-Lunar soldier gone native, who became enamored with Char-Un culture after his unit fought along side the Fangs of Winter Chumi in the wars to conquer Sartar. He fights dirty and is ferocious in battle. He's been blessed with the ability to tell the proximity to 11 o'clock and locate the nearest brothel where he has learned many libidinous stories. Primanus is friend of Gargor and has a set of loaded dice. He witnessed the slaughter at Dundelos and knows how to beg for his life in many languages. So far Primanus is the only Lunar missionary allowed any long term presence within the Tukavech clan He is not trusted by  other missionaries (with good reason) who fear his Char-un ways. He is adopted brother to Ingishi

Yenisey,  Tattooist
Yenisey is one of the clans two tattooists, although not the best of the two he has taken many apprentices.
He likes his Kumis just about any time of the day, and is fond of mudfoot gin. At heart he is a coward, but a big talker and throws idle threats about. He is sneaky and prone to backstabbing when violence is called for. He is a wanted man within the Empire, and many provincial governors seek the bounty placed on his head. He carries the Venomous Dagger and wears the Ring of Serpents

Ingishi,  Throat Singer
Some praise Ingishi and some curse him, for he puts his beautiful voice to use to harangue the Pan of the Kokkochur Tribe as a betrayer of his people. He knows the oldest traditions and stories, and the root of all Heroquests. His dance and prairie dog skull rattles can bring a tear to the eye and fear to the heart. His family have adopted Primanus as Brother, and the two are rarely apart. He is quick and slight of frame, as well as being renowned for his riding and horse racing. He has taken an unnatural attraction to mud-foot females that many blame on Primanus.

Conchaka,  Yunal Shaman
Conchaka was born a woman, but became a man, her swagger and mustache shames the men of lesser clans. The power of Yunal is strong within her and the clan is honored to have her among them, and she alone feeds the ancestor spirit skulls of previous lo-Pans. She was gifted a trained Carnivorous Carmanian Warhorse, much bigger then the steppe ponies of the Char-Un people, that she feeds human flesh. Her loyalty to the lo-Pan is unwavering. She seeks permission from the tribal shamans to undergo the Heroquest to impregnate herself and bear children.

Doquez-khatum,  First Wife of Aguchu the Brave
Doquez-khatum is of the ma-Dua clan and the hostage of I-ichi. She is treated well, but resentful of her loss of freedom.

Husun,  Rider
Husun is a Rider nearing his initiation to adulthood and the warriors life. He has already killed a man of the ma-Dua clan who sought to steal from his fathers herd; many feel he has a bright future. Husun is a tall strong young man, truehearted and guileless, but rather too ready to listen to flattery. He has many friends among the riders and is much loved by his relatives. His father holds Doquez-khatum hostage to prevent retaliation for his killing of the ma-Dua.

Jangg,  Pig Pan
Jangg Pig Pan is a rabble rouser and pig herder. Jangg is always complaining, hotheaded, and fractious. He resents his lot in life but is too lazy to change it. The lo-Pan tolerates him because he is cunning with a spear and a good horseman, yet he would rather take the easy way and go against tradition. More and more though, people of the clan take to his tasty pork.


The Pan's Yurt

Gi-Shang,  Pan of the Kokkochur tribe, and Clan Tukavech
Gi-Shang is of the Tukavech clan, he has 3 sons and 5 daughters.
Gi-Shang is an old man, perhaps early 50's. He is tough and built like a blacksmith. An astute pragmatist, he holds no illusions about the nature of power or those who would try to oust him. He has maintained his position as Pan through his ability to discern character, competence, and earn the loyalty and trust of good men. He has led well and rarely shown weakness. He has managed to keep his rivals at bay by predicting their moves and always having a trick up his sleeve. He has always supported his allies and made them powerful and rich.
Gi-Shang is a good Pan and the tribe has prospered under his rule, although he is more sly then warlike-fighting is not his strong suit, but double-dealing and assassination are. Those faithful to him gain many rewards; those who would oppose him do so in secret, Gi-Shang's spies are everywhere. Gi-Shang has a way of easily seducing people to his side, and is very charismatic. The lo-pan of clan Sabutishi is favored by Gi-Shang and currently wields a fair amount of power within the tribe.

Ti-Shang,  First Son of the Pan of the Kokkochur tribe, and Clan Tukavech
Ti-Shang is in a precarious position, Char-Un do not inherit their fathers position upon their deaths. It is rumored that Ti-Shang has coveted the title of Pan and wished it for himself, but this is hardly a substantiated rumor beyond Ti-Shang's enemies. He is a strong warrior and heads the Murderous Crow Chumi, and has many spirit allies, he and his men are bullies and have little problem brutalizing their own people and betraying tradition when it suits them and hiding behind it for protection when necessary, some would say this is the Char-Un way. He and his Four Swords swagger about the camp like street toughs. The black moods and tantrums are born of his immaturity, and are well suited to a follower of Tirgzant. His attitude toward women has earned him the enmity of the clan's females

Guli-Shang,  Second Son of the Pan of the Kokkochur tribe, and Clan Tukavech
Guli-Shang is not Pan material, he has enjoyed the benefits of being son of a Pan though. He is shifty and sneaky and not a strong warrior. He is fond of poison, and hiding vipers in the bedrolls of his enemies, of which he has many, some would say this is the Char-Un way. He is far from an adherent to tradition. All this is not to say he is not an influential member of the tribe, he is. Of the three sons he shows the most political savvy and has contact throughout the clans and tribes and even in the cities of the empire. A honeyed voice, persuasive speech and long sighted planning are his strengths.

Iti Shang,  Third Son of the Pan of the Kokkochur tribe, and Clan Tukavech
Slate-blue skin and white hair mark Iti-Shang as being of the Indigo Warrior line by the Blue Woman. He can leap great distances and over great heights and from a horse at a full gallop, even in full war gear. His Gold-Tip spear has shattered many shields and his arrows rain like hail. Iti-Shang prizes loyalty above all else. A lusty man who spreads his rain wherever he can, he has angered many husbands and wives. His great belly laugh has raised many low spirits.

Taniki,  First Wife of the Pan of the Kokkochur tribe

Suli,  Second Wife of the Pan of the Kokkochur tribe

Third wife

Jardani the Bull,  ill-Pan (Warchief) of the Kokkochur tribe
Jardani is of the ma-Dua clan
Jardani is getting old, and likely in his last season as il-Pan. He is short of words and gruff when he uses them at all. Jardani is regarded as one of the wisest and shrewdest of all the clan who is not a woman or gifted with foresight. Kargzants 5 winds ward him, and several shamans assist him. It is also known that his bloodline boasts several failed aspirants to the title of Pan.

Tolok,  bodyguard of the Pan
Of Clan Sabutishi
Tolok is a proud but aged warrior, whose body is so covered in scars and tattoos that very little of his flesh is visible anymore. He is a strong traditionalist and member of the Murderous Crow Chumi. He has acted as bodyguard to Gi-Shang since he became Pan.

Wicker-horse,  bodyguard of the Pan
Of Clan Chinghiss
Wicker-Horse is a strong warrior who has trained to fight in far away Teshnos and Karloria, in addition to mastering the Char-Un ways of battle. He is surprisingly urban and sophisticated and is the yang to Tolok's traditionalism. His brother is an influential member of the Suns of the Sons of Panishi Chumi.

Unnek, Head Shaman of the Kokkochur tribe
Shaman of the Panishi the Founder Tradition
Unnek holds the title of Dishi Shaman (loosely translated as "Oldest Shaman")

Soulless Lancers of Gold Chumi
The Soulless Lancers of Gold are an elitist brotherhood of warriors sworn to the protection of the Pan of the Kokkochur tribe. They are wealthy and usually the best warriors of the tribe who take vows severing their ties of kinship and to their clan, serving only the Pan- the reality of this is often much different then the ideal. The Chumi is 50 strong by ancient tradition drawing 10 men from each clan, of those 10 one must be a Shaman. The Chumi's guardian spirit presents itself as a half sized warrior of gold and is housed in an unbreakable spear of gold shod iron.