What Is My NPC Up To?

 

Every now and then, the party will drop in on a local contact, merchant, or village elder on a whim. While non-player characters are not active adventurers, they carry on with routines and obligations in the background whether observed or not. Stonemasons mix mortar, merchants audit ledgers, household chores demand attention, and tavernkeepers scrub down tables. NPCs are not static game pieces waiting in suspended animation for the party to walk through the door.

When a referee needs an immediate snapshot of what a contact is doing upon arrival, a single six-sided die provides the answer. Rather than leaving the circumstances entirely abstract, the roll determines the current state of affairs, while the prevailing hour and the NPC's temper toward being interrupted determine how the scene plays out.

Core Activity Table (Roll 1d6)

1. Resting or Recharging: Slumped in an armchair, napping, or catching their breath out of sight.

2. Entertaining Guests or Visitors: In deep conversation with a neighbor, client, debt collector, or rival.

3. Taking a Meal or Drink: Sitting down to broth, bread, or a tankard; dining alone or with family.

4. Occupied with a Private Diversion: Engaged in a minor personal pursuit (mending gear, whittling, tending hearth ash, or reading).

5. Hard at Work: Fully immersed in their trade, manual labor, inventory, or professional chores.

6. On the Move / Heading Out the Door: Grabbing a cloak, gathering tools, or stepping into the street for an errand.

Applying Time-of-Day Shifts

A character's routine shifts as the day progresses. The baseline roll assumes typical business hours, but adjusting the result according to local time keeps the outcome grounded:

• Morning to Midday (Working Hours): Roll normally. If the result is a 1 (Resting), treat it as a 5 (Hard at Work) unless the character is known to be nocturnal, ill, or exceptionally indolent.

• Evening (Downtime Hours): Add +1 to the die roll (maximum result of 6). This naturally pushes the encounter toward meals, visitors, errands, and social calls.

• Dead of Night: Do not use the standard progression. Treat results 1–3 as sound asleep, 4–5 as waking to investigate noises or tending home security, and a 6 as absent from the premises entirely on clandestine or urgent business.

The Interruption Check (Roll 1d6)

Finding out what someone is doing is only half the puzzle; the crucial element is how they take to being disturbed by armed adventurers. Roll a second d6 to establish their immediate disposition toward the party's arrival:

1. Hostile or Agitated: Visibly annoyed by the disruption; snaps at the party to state their business or clear out.

2. Distracted: Multitasking; answers in clipped sentences without breaking stride or looking up from the job at hand.

3. Guarded: Covers a ledger, slides an item out of sight, or halts abruptly; suspicious of the intrusion.

4. Professional: Sighs, sets aside their work, and treats the matter strictly as practical business.

5. Relieved: Welcomes the party warmly, glad for an excuse to step away from whatever they were doing.

6. Enthusiastic: Eager to pull the visitors into the moment; insists on offering a cup, pulling up a bench, or asking for an extra pair of hands.

Turning Mundane Encounters into Action

When the die indicates an NPC is occupied with minor personal business (4) or heading out the door (6), the moment can be used to set local scenes in motion rather than leaving the interaction inside four walls:

• Trivial Pursuits (Result 4): The specific distraction can reveal practical details about local life. An apothecary grinding dried leaves might grumble about poor supply routes, while a blacksmith oiling a blade might remark on unusual night movements along the perimeter.

• Errands on the Move (Result 6): If the contact is stepping out, they do not need to turn back inside to talk. The party can walk alongside them through the town square, docks, or alleys. This gets the characters out into the wider settlement, exposes them to ambient rumors and local color, and provides an opening for players to lend an arm with heavy chores or sensitive deliveries to earn easy goodwill.

This article is an updated and expanded version of an older post, located HERE.

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What Is My NPC Up To?

Editor's Note: This article has been revised and updated. the new article is located HERE.

Every now and then, one of my players will drop in on an NPC for a visit, consultation, etc. Of course, while NPC's are not active Player Characters, they do in fact have "lives" and activities that happen in the background, even when not directly observed by a PC. Work on construction continues, shops trade in goods, shipments exchange hands, and wives are involved in maintaining households, etc. Put plainly, NPC's engage in activities, not just sit in one place waiting to interact with Player Characters.

So how does one determine what a particular NPC is doing at any given moment of the day, when a player comes calling? In our home campaign, we simply throw a d6. Of course, the time of day can directly affect, or modify, the outcome of the roll.

NPC Random Activities Table: Roll 1d6

1. The NPC is currently resting/relaxing.
2. The NPC is entertaining guests/has visitors.
3. The NPC is currently taking a meal, or enjoying a snack/drink.
4. The NPC is doing nothing of consequence/or importance (i.e. Reading, Hobby, etc.)
5. The NPC is engaged in work and is busy.
6. The NPC was just leaving to perform chores, visit someone, on an errand, taking some air.

This table is only used when an NPC's activities aren't directly dictated by prior information or details. If an NPC wizard is doing research, then he will probably be engrossed in research for days, with little time set aside for anything else. A blacksmith, at his shop, will pretty much be involved in his work. The dice roll can still affect these activities, but only in so much as they are directly related to whatever the NPC is currently engaged in.

The blacksmith might be taking a break between activities.

The goodwife might be "entertaining" (gossiping) with a neighbor.

The mayor might be enjoying a late lunch with a visiting alderman.

With a little creativity, most any normal activities can be randomly chosen, using this simple 1d6 mechanic.

Optional Rules: Quick and Dirty NPC Stats

Sometimes, either due to a time crunch or unexpected turn of events, you as the DM must pull stats out of the air for an NPC. You could grab an already written module and yank an NPC out of the per-gens (pre-generated characters), or snag an able bodied candidate from the well-thumbed pages of the City State of the Invincible Overlord*, but you won't always have an easy resource like these at hand. You might even carry pre-written character sheets with you, but again, you might not have them on hand. Of course, the digital age makes finding a character generator as easy as reach for your cellphone, BUT that's IF you have signal, and data.

So what to do? Well, in our home campaign, we have a simple character ability array that can be dropped in quickly without any difficulty. The arrays are easy enough to note on the inside of a game book cover, or an index card and shoved into your game materials.

The following ability arrays are written for Swords & Wizardry characters, but are compatible for most OSR clones and D&D systems. They come in three tiers; Low (1-4 level), Medium (5-8 level), and High (9-12 level). These arrays allow for the possibility of a slight bonus for NPCs, but not enough to make them out shine an exceptional player character.

Low: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8

Medium: 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9

High: 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10

If the character is a member of a character class, then place their highest stat in their Prime Attribute for that class. Place the other scores as befits the particular character to help emphasize their strengths, or weaknesses. Do not get into the habit of dropping their lowest stat into a Dump Stat, usually Charisma. Character then become predictable and boring.

Hit Points can be figured as follows, just assume they have hit points equal to one half their class Hit Die. For medium level characters, add +1, for high add +2. These are NPCs, not player characters, only truly exceptional NPCs should have higher stats and more hit points.

* - If you don't own a copy, then shame on you.

Adventure Seed: The Wyvern & Gnome

The Wyvern & Gnome, is a fortified inn, situated along a stretch of prosperous trade road that comes into close proximity to a lucrative river route. The goods and services exchanged between these two routes pass directly through the area controlled by the garrison stationed at the Wyvern.

Image Copyright - Maciej Zagorski, The Forge Studios

Important NPCs:

Strega Hammerhand - The resident smith, Strega can make or repair, tools, weapons, and armor, made of iron or steel. His apprentice does the small stuff, like nails, chains, and horseshoes. His left hand was lost to a gator down by the river. It has since been replaced by a mount for various attachments, used for holding, and working on the forge.

Ssel Orm - One of the lizardmen river traders. Ssel, speaks very good common so he was chosen to broker deals between the warm-bloods and his own people. If anyone needs something moved along the river, Ssel, is the one to see. While the Lizardmen care little for the "legality" of items transported, they do charge accordingly.

Ozimondi the Alchemist - A human magic-user and alchemist, Ozimondi's duties include assaying the content and purity of metals, and appraising the value of rare and exotic items for tax and sale purposes.

Quetar the Collector - Secretly a cleric of the God of Thieves, Quetar, poses as buyer and seller of rare and valuable items. Aside from his illicit fencing of purloined items, he actually does a brisk business in legitimate antiquities and rarities. Thieves and smugglers know very well not to attempt to double-cross him.

Rai Ak the Necromancer - Exploiting a loophole in local laws, Rai Ak, deals in the sale of zombie and skeleton servants as laborers and servants. Because his business deals with the dead, it isn't considered slavery. Powerful merchants and nobles, that profit from the use of these workers, ensure that this unsavory trade is unhindered and remains completely legal in this region. (Recognizable local corpses are boiled to strip the flesh, and raised as skeletons.)

Mezgahn of the Purple Cloak - A failed magic-user apprentice, Mezgahn, turned to stage magic and thievery. He uses his "illusions" and trickery to pull of heists and con games. At no time does he bilk locals, maintaining a reputation of honesty and trustworthiness.

Tenam from Afar - A barbarian warrior from elsewhere, Tenam, has no filters. He doesn't sugar-coat anything, nor tolerate deception. 

Gaithkrac the Pious - Specializing in healing, curing, and removing various conditions, and even curses, Gaithkrac, can not use any other types of magic.

Philha Chor - Runs the local trading post within the Wyvern & Gnome.

Ael Ormo - Runs the tavern within the Wyvern.

Raylokra - Retired adventurer. Does the occasional odd job if it peaks his interest.

Ithsa - Retired adventuress. On and off again companion of Xorsa, she also occasionally keeps company with Raylokra. A powerful enchantment from a previous adventure keeps her Strength at 18 despite her advancing years.

Khailem Est - The local administrator. Khailem, oversees the orderly and honest collection of taxes on trade goods and large sums of money that pass through the region.

Xorsa Rin - The local garrison captain, stationed at the Wyvern. Xorsa (Zorsha), is a hardened veteran of numerous battles. Her garrison is made up entirely of dervishes. They are completely loyal unto death to their captain, and abstain from drinking, sex, and other worldly pursuits.

Local Garrison Troops:

• One dozen light cavalry, with chain and shield, scimitars, crossbows and spears
• One dozen footmen, with leather and shield, scimitars, crossbows and spears
• Two additional cavalry Sergeants
• Two additional footmen Sergeants
• All dervishes fight with a fanatic focus, granting +1 to hit and damage in hand-to-hand.

The map and inspiration for this adventure location is brought to you courtesy of the good folks at, The Forge Studios (Click Here). If you like their work, please consider supporting their Patreon campaign, where you will gain access to further freebies and other benefits. The map used here is, The Wyvern & Gnome - Fortified Inn, available for free at DriveThruRPG (Click Here).

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with, The Forge Studios, or DriveThruRPG. Links provided are not affiliate links and I do not receive any remuneration or funds of any sort for providing them. This is simply my way of helping to support products I enjoy.

Adventure Seed: The Village of Nusquam (Updated)

Article Updated August 27, 2026
New artwork, expanded article

Every campaign needs a solid jumping-off point—a place far enough from the seat of imperial power that trouble can brew unchecked, but well-equipped enough that low-level adventurers can patch their wounds, sharpen their steel, and spend their hard-won coin.

Tucked just off a secondary trade road lies Nusquam (pronounced Nus-kom or Nus-ka, derived from the old tongue meaning "nowhere"). It is a working settlement surrounded by untamed wilderness, making it an ideal base of operations for characters cutting their teeth from levels 1 through 4.

The settlement is presented intentionally semi-modular and un-keyed, giving the Game Master total freedom to match buildings to the map, drop in traveling merchants, or expand the outskirts as the campaign evolves.

The Settlement at a Glance

• Population: ~250 permanent residents (mostly human, with a small diaspora of demi-humans).
  
  
• Government: An informal council of village elders advised by local tradesfolk and the resident sage.
  
  
• Defense: A modest muster of local militia (farmers, woodcutters, and apprentices with spears and leather jacks). When real trouble knocks, they look to capable travelers or the old wizard down the lane.
  
  
• Economy: Timber, grain milling, wool, and trade goods passing through between major settlements.
  
  

Key Personalities & Locations

1. Grisvaldor the Sage

Role: Wizard, Scholar, and Campaign Anchor

Grisvaldor resides in a slightly crooked, ivy-draped cottage near the edge of town. A retired adventurer of eccentric habits, he acts as an informal advisor to the village elders and a reliable patron for hungry sellswords. While he has occasionally stepped up with fiery arcane force to defend Nusquam from border raids, he prefers to dispatch eager adventurers to gather rare reagents, investigate ancient ruins, or resolve peculiar disturbances.

2. Throdan’s Forge

Role: Blacksmith, Armorer, and Weapon Smith

A stout dwarven smith with an eye for quality iron and an uncanny ability to appraise common magical arms and armor (though cursed gear easily slips past his appraisal). Throdan married a human woman years ago; their daughters take after their mother—tall, buxom, and notoriously flirtatious. To keep young rakes and wandering sellswords from getting too bold around his daughters, Throdan challenges suitors to lift his massive shop anvil. Unknown to the locals, the anvil is secured to the bedrock beneath the floorboards by a concealed mechanical locking pin.

3. The Chapel of the Hearth & Brother Timmer

Role: Spiritual Care and Divine Magic

Brother Timmer is a plain-faced, deeply charismatic parish priest who tends to the spiritual needs of the hamlet. Capable of channeling low-tier divine blessings and healing spells, Timmer is well-liked by the villagers. Behind his pious exterior, he maintains a quiet fascination with the old ways and druidic lore, and rumors persist that he occasionally dons mask and hood to slip away into the woods during seasonal solstice celebrations.

4. The Willow & Root Apothecary (Bernadette)

Role: Herbalist, Healer, and Spell Component Supplier

Vivacious, sharp-witted, and of indeterminate middle age, Bernadette provides the village with poultices, salves, and basic curative magic. Mages can purchase common low-level spell components from her shop (she keeps enough on hand to supply two to three castings per week, but will gladly take custom orders). Bernadette shares an amicable rivalry with Brother Timmer over the townsfolk’s welfare—though frequent evening strolls and quiet tea shared between the two suggest a much warmer connection than either admits.

5. Binks’ Mill & Tinkery

Role: Grist Mill, Mechanical Repairs, and Specialty Gear

Affectionately known as "Binksy," this diminutive artisan is often mistaken for a short human, but carries distinct gnomish blood. He maintains the village water wheel, repairs complex machinery, and can fabricate or source delicate specialty tools (such as lockpicks and spring mechanisms). While Binksy lives an honest life and disdains common thievery, he knows how illicit locks operate and maintains old underworld contacts in the provincial capital for adventurers who need discrete introductions.

6. The Drunken Anchor (Dargo’s Tavern)

Role: Inn, Tavern, and Rumor Mill

A former corsair who won the establishment fair and square in a late-night game of cards, Dargo is a scarred, boisterous host who runs a clean and orderly taproom. He knows how to handle rowdy brawlers and appreciates reliable muscle. Dargo offers free lodging in the common room to adventuring parties willing to keep the peace, break up tavern scraps, and keep highwaymen off his supply wagons.

D6 Rumors & Adventure Hooks

d6	Rumor / Hook
1	Barrow Lights: Strange blue lanterns have been spotted dancing across the old burial mounds two leagues north. Grisvaldor is offering gold for soil samples taken from the mound summits.
2	The Stolen Wagon: A shipment of high-grade bog iron bound for Throdan’s forge was ambushed along the river trail. Footprints suggest goblins, but the tracks lead suspiciously toward an abandoned limestone quarry.
3	Masks in the Mist: Villagers whisper of hooded figures gathering at the standing stones at midnight. Brother Timmer claims it is harmless folk tradition, but Bernadette has been brewing extra burn salves in secret.
4	Missing Cogs: Binksy’s master set of jeweler's files and a heavy brass gear from the mill were pinched overnight. He suspects a traveling peddler who fled south before sunrise.
5	The Old Captain's Debt: A rough-looking crew of river rogues arrived at Dargo’s taproom, demanding payment on a debt Dargo claims was settled twenty years ago at sea. Bloodshed is brewing if cooler heads don't step in.
6	Foul Water: The stream feeding the grist mill has run foul and bitter with black sediment, threatening the autumn milling. Something has stirred or taken up residence inside the upstream cavern system.

GM Advice for Running Nusquam

• Keep the Map Un-Keyed: Place houses, barns, and shops where they best serve your campaign's immediate pacing.
  
  
• Leave Room for Expansion: Keep four or five outlying farmsteads and cottages unassigned so you can drop in visiting alchemists, tax collectors, exiled nobility, or rival adventuring parties as the narrative demands.
  
  
• Make It Home: Give the players a stake in the village early on—whether a loft above the barn, an abandoned storehouse to renovate, or simple respect earned by protecting the harvest. When danger threatens Nusquam later, the defense becomes personal.

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