The 30: The thirty miscellaneous people who are part of some group. These are drop and play personalities for a given group.
Codex introduction
The 30 is an exercise in character creation. Each member is part of a group or organization or professional archetype.
Each of these characters is basically the same (in terms of skills and mechanics) with some minor differences
. They are provided here as a quick grab for a group member's personality and chrome.
Okay, you can do all the people in a given place at a given time. What is important is that they are basic characters to fill out a place and have some dramatic connections between them and dramatic hooks for the players to latch on to.
Each character will be listed by its archetype or personality hook (in bold), and one to three lines of description. See the submissions in this group for examples.
Note: If the profession is a lonely one, i.e. there will only be one or such in a given place, then listing individual types is appropriate. Kings and Barkeeps are examples of these.
Codex
Gathered submissions
This hub collects similar pieces — an “if you liked this, try these” shelf. Skim the summaries; open a title for a light reading preview, then follow through to the full piece to finish, award XP, or leave a scroll.
46 pieces
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Talon Trails
As long as any can remember, these certain paths allowed one to travel up to and over 20 extra miles a day by using them. One moment one was deep along a small trail, the next he would find himself 20 or more miles farther down the path without realizing it. All was fine until recently. Reports returned talking of the failure of these areas which revealed miles of ancient paths. The protection hiding them has finally failed. Will it release monsters of ages past or reveal magic of unknown worth? -
30 Barkeepers
Herein are listed 30 Barkeeps, Bartenders, or proprietary owners of the drinking and sleeping establishments so frequented by adventurers and their loyal henchmen. -
30 Rangers
Here are the thirty Rangers of the Bushland National Park-the good the bad, the clean and the dirty. -
30 Police Officers
Some times you just need a horde of police officers... -
30 Mages
30 slingers of spells, vendors of enchantment, and bizarrement. -
30+ Kings
A minor mess of magnates for myriad monarchies. Now with Scroll functions! Add your own! -
30 Wizards
Thirty Mages for every kind of magical world out there. -
30 Priests
Forsooth! A fair flock of faithful friars, from fanciful to factual. -
30 Knights
There is a tournament and now the town is flooded with Knights. OR there is a huge group of nights the characters are interacting with. Now you have to fill out those personalities. Here is 30 of them. -
30 Flesh Peddlers
NC-17 -
30 Criminals
The are 30 thieves, killers and other criminals that ought to be behind bars. -
30 Temple Priests
It is a good sized temple with all the appropriate attendents. Who is in the temple running it? -
30 Sailors
The Crew of the 'New Hope', a fine, and not so fine, bunch of seafaring men. -
30 People in a Tavern Crowd
So, you walk in the tavern. It is a fairly average place, good sized ceiling, a roaring fire, lots of tables. There is a crowd of about 30 people.... -
30 Courtiers
You find yourself brought to the Great Lord's Court after completing your assignment. Thanks are given. You are invited to the festivities later that day. Court is adjourned and you are now trapped in a room with numerous courtiers .... -
30 People in a Crowded Dockside Tavern
You step in from the fog swirled street. It is not as dark as you expected, but it is just as loud and smelly. There is about 30 people in this dockside bar. -
30 Necromancers
A cold and cadavorous collection of nefarious necromancers. -
30 Princesses
A parcel of pretty princesses -
30 Pirates
Barnacles and bilge rats, a pernicious package of perfidious pirates! -
30 More Princesses
Courtly contessas, contributed and collaborated upon by Citadelians! -
30 Vagrants
Vagrants, vagabonds, gaberlunzies, gypsies, thieves, beggars and more, presenting a list of 30 of the downtrodden and desperate. -
30 Brigands
‘That’s a nice tunic you’ve got there, I think I’ll take it…’ Marv, the Brigand -
30 Prisoners
Some of the inhabitants of Pier Point Prison-the bad, mad and the downright sad. -
30 Men of Nyir
The grim and often belligerent denizens of the Grand Duchy of Nyir -
30 of The Horde
You find yourself captured by Goblins. (We won't ask, we know it is embarassing.) Looking for your escape, you begin to watch the Goblins. Suprisingly, they are a fairly complex bunch. -
30 Imps
30 mystical imps to perch upon your wizard's shoulder and whisper the secrets of magic and the universe. -
30 Merchants
30 Mostly Maddening Merchants -
30 Guards
30 Guards, who in peacetime patrol the Palace and in wartime are the Royal Bodyguards and the King's last defence. -
30 Mercenaries
Mercenaries and bounty hunters? We don't need the help of scum like that. Vice-Admiral Koszcu -
30 Druids
30 Druids of the Teufel-Grün Forest -
30 Villians and Fiends
Yet another list of 30, this time fiendish foes, vile villians, and and dastardly do-badders. -
30 Henchmen
The definition of a Henchman: a man who really knows his away around a hench. -
30 Musicians
30 musicians to entertain at balls, taverns, and other social gatherings. -
30 of the Arcade District
The Arcade is a long narrow entertainment district built upon the dried up Arcadey creek. This jurisdictional no mans land has become a vibrant section of the city. -
30 Prostitutes
30 painted ladies of the oldest profession. Reader discretion is advised. -
30 Firefighters
Who ya gonna call when the flames are burning? -
30 Peasants
Come hither peasant! -
Yet Another 30 Princesses
Thirty more princesses, this time with an insect/small creature theme. -
30 Hammers
Here is a selection of 30 different hammers, used by those who enjoy hearing the sound of bone being crushed. -
30 Entertainers
30 entertainers to make even the miserable forget their troubles and be happy again, if only for a short time before their sorrows close in again. -
30 Mecha Pilots
No high school teens who turn out to be wonder-pilots here. -
30 Tieflings and the Gifts they bestow
For your pleasure and entertainment, here we present, thirty fiendlings seasoned with a whiff of brimstone, teasingly clad in shadow, accompanied by tunes played on pipes of angel-bone; likewise do we tell of the gifts they might bestow upon one in their favor. So get them before Hell freezes over! -
30 Vampires
30 various vampiric varieties -
30 Members Of The Players Cult
30 cult members, of varying levels of sanity and skill. Divided into Guilds for convenience and clarity. Could potentially be used as 30 gang members, depending on your needs. -
30 More Gladiators
30 Warriors -- Freemen and Captives -- to populate your arenas. -
30 Judges
A lot of what adventurers do is illegal, from fighting and carrying weapons in towns, to robbery and tomb raiding. Sooner or later, many of them are going to be arrested and find themselves up before a judge.
Also in
Codex hubs that gather this piece with similar work.
- The Other 30s Scrasamax
Scrolls
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Retellings
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Bonds
Outbound links for this Codex live in the gathered list above. Bind as Codex to add another piece to the shelf after you sign in. Kindred Favors gather here too.
Links to this article 2
- Kosuranda, Princess of Albatrosses Moonlake linked by Moonlake
- The Other 30s Scrasamax linked by Scrasamax
Favored by Kindred Readers 1
Use alongside
Submissions that pair well with this one at the table.
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30 Things That Grow in a Dwarven Beard
Dwarven beards are rich habitats for the enterprising critter.
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The Players Cult
'If you take out all the bullshit about the machines and the crappy prophecy, The Matrix was pretty close to the truth. Just think about it for awhile and you'…
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Mathom, the God of Delays
Mathom, the God of Delays, is an overlooked but powerful entity. Few worship him, but many remember him with word and deed.
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Urn Beast
Several arson attacks, and two deaths later, as the Mayor retreated from the ashy figure before him and his curtains went up in flame, he decided that burning t…
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30 Bardic Tales
A collection of 30 bardic tales you may hear sung in the local tavern or empresses' court, complete with bardic verse excerpts from all 30 tales themselves.
…
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30 Horses
God forbid that I should go to any Heaven where there are no horses.
- R. B. Cunninghame-Graham
This is an excellent idea. Great reference when you need fillers in a scenario.
What can I say? I love the 30s. It's a great resource for whenever you need a variety of some background character. Fun to write, too. Great idea, Moon.
Perfect additions...
What can I say. I dont love the 30's. :D
However, I am starting to enjoy checking the latest additions, and I will admit that this could be a valuable resource for any GM. So, Kudos to Moon for the idea, Kudos to Scras for the original 30 barkeeps, and Kudos overall!
I assume the goal is 30 30's?
No, but it is a worthy goal.
Great idea!
Okay, I feel the need to justify my 5/5 score for this codex. While most capstone codexes like these tend to score low, or not be voted on at all, Moonhunter's use of the 30 NPC challenge that I started produced 8 new lists of 30. Thats 240 new NPCs that can be fleshed out, dropped into a scenario, or what have you. To MoonHunter, I say thank you.
Updated: updated for emphasis
Updated some main text...
So why haven't we had more of these? Was this just a fad? Inquiring minds want to know (or want you to post 30 more people)
As a whole, it is an excellent set of lists, and an idea that has really taken off. And don't worry, fads do come back around here - unless they are overshadowed by newer fads.
The day is not far when there will be thirty lists of thirty, and then... then will the world end, or something. ;)
WOOT! 6 more 30's and we have 30 of them!
4 more 30's make 30 30's.
Does anyone have 4 more 30 ideas?
Val has 30 Merchants on deck... It'll be ready soon.
I have 30 Ryders soon on deck.
Cheka Man's 30 Guards needed to be added to the Codex...
I'll leave it to Moonhunter whether my 30 Stalwart Bands falls within the Codex's purview...
The Guards were added a bit ago. Your 30 bands do not meet the criteria as it is 30 individuals in a group. You do get the very worthy 30 freetext, which has some other lists of 30 related items.
A lot goes into this codex, from many contributors, but I really do think this codex is the bedrock of the Citadel. I've mined it early and often, not least for the concept that it's so much easier to bring even mooks to vivid life if you only have a personality trait or two to ascribe to them. A very worthy '5.'
Mwahahahaha
One of the best codex's in the Citadel, hands down. I have used several of these lists in actual games, and have been delighted with their consistent standard of quality.
If Scras were added as co-author, I would vote this one golden.
4.0/5
The 30's are a brilliant part of the Citadel, one that I'm sure we've all found a way to use.
as a group the '30's are my fav sub group here ,so amny of them andso many ideas to grow with. I've been working on a 30 for about 3 weeks(which as most of you realize is a VERY long time for me) can't get enuf 30s 5/5