Three Random NPCs

Here are three NPCs I rolled using my "Random NPC Generator" I wrote. The ability scores are mostly 3d6 down the line, with Strength and Charisma being more variable. It outputs Alignment, Sex, Age, Hair Color, Complexion, Appearance, Personality, and Wealth. From that, I choose a name, class (if any), and write a description. Purely a pastime I usually do during times like now when I should be writing something, but I'm procrastinating.

However, these three rolls were so uninspiring when taken together. There's a 4-in-6 chance of a male, but all three were women. All three had a high CON score—the very least helpful to build a whole character around. Fighters have Strength. Thieves have Dexterity. Magic-Users have Intelligence. Clerics have Wisdom. At least with Charisma, you have something fun to use by making them particularly good or bad looking. Constitution? One character, okay, but all three? It didn't help that they all had dark or black hair and an ordinary appearance!

As I attempted to write them together, a fun story emerged between Marra, widowed alewife, Hesta, dwarven tavern keeper, and Lysa, a wizard's courier . . . 

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Hesta "Black Hest"

Neutral Dwarf 1

Hesta, the sharp-tongued wife of a small tavern keeper, runs the place with an iron grip. She's relentless, mean, and takes no guff. Her wooden spoon—or failing that, a quick snap of her leather belt—keeps her unruly boys in line and reminds drunken customers they’re not above the same treatment. Her temper sparks like flint on steel, shifting from honeyed politeness to red-hot fury in an instant. 

STR  5   -2

INT  7   -1

WIS  10  +0

DEX  8   -1

CON  14  +1

CHA  9   +0

Sex: Female

Age: 38

Hair: Black

Complexion: Tan

Appearance: Pleasant

Personality: Foul-Tempered, Bully

Wealth: Free person. 120 gp.

Lysa

Neutral Magic-User 1

Lysa, an overfriendly wizard’s apprentice, trots to and from his mountain-top tower delivering messages on foot, as she is trusted more for endurance than discretion. She greets strangers like old friends and chatters endlessly, eager for company after long stretches of lonely travel. Bright but lacking common sense, she remembers everything she’s told—but rarely knows when to keep it to herself—especially if someone is willing to listen.

STR  9   +0

INT  13  +1

WIS  7   -1

DEX  10  +0

CON  16  +2

CHA  8   -1

Sex: Female

Age: 22

Hair: Black

Complexion: Ivory

Appearance: Plain

Personality: Cheerful, Gregarious

Wealth: Peasant. 8 gp.

Marra
Neutral

Marra, a widowed alewife, owns an inn and tavern and keeps a watchful eye over all who pass beneath her roof. Tall and imposing, she speaks little, yet carries a quiet authority that stifles disobedience and misbehavior before it can rise. Having outlived her adventurous husband, she runs the alehouse and its brewing with firm, capable hands, leaving the day-to-day clamor to her staff—though little escapes her notice.

STR  12  +0

INT  11  +0

WIS  10  +0

DEX  9   +0

CON  13  +1

CHA  13  +1

Sex: Female

Age: 46

Hair: Dark Brunette

Complexion: Tan

Appearance: Plain

Personality: Brooding, Mysterious

Wealth: Free person. 140 gp.

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Bonus! Because I'm still procrastinating, here's a fourth randomly-generated NPC! With Charisma 17, this rather turned into a romance novel!

Cassian Rook

Neutral Fighter 1

Tall and slender, Cassian carries himself with quiet authority. His black hair is neatly kempt, framing an ivory complexion and composed features. He favors tailored riding coats and polished boots—the mark of one accustomed to rank, yet careful not to flaunt it. His gaze is steady and appraising, and he speaks with measured confidence, certain he is destined to rise through discipline, reputation, and the careful cultivation of allies.

STR  12  +0

INT  10  +0

WIS  15  +1

DEX  10  +0

CON  11  +0

CHA  17  +2

Sex: Male

Age: 18

Hair: Black

Complexion: Ivory 

Appearance: Slender

Personality: Driven, Ambitious

Wealth: 500 gp

Session 76

Treasure Map I
"We hid it under a flagstone . . ."

Session 76

Session #7 of the Return to the Sorcerer's Labyrinth

Feb. 24, 2026

Players

Marc: T'Val, Fighter 1; Gormir, Dwarf 1
Adam: Mimir, Elf 1; Atticus, Magic-User 1
Alex: Sir Percival, Cleric 2; Lucky Pete, Thief 2

At the south door to the Minotaur's Maze, our delvers parted ways with the NPC Party. Bearing the headless body of their fallen comrade, Caedis (M1), they began their withdrawal. Before long, a patrol of pig-faced orcs gave chase. The party yanked free the spike that had been holding the secret door ajar. The ponderous stone slab ground slowly shut, sealing the passage just as the orcs reached it. With no way to force it open, the orcs could only curse them from the far side of the stone-block wall.

Back in town, Atticus (M1) joined the party. 

The delvers descended into the Sorcerer's Labyrinth once again, this time determined to find the Arcane Library by going through the south gate of the Pentagram Dome. They took the hallway west, but found only a looping passage with a door that was clearly non-Euclidean. It opened to the antechamber of The Pyramid. 

Glowing violet runes pulsated in the angular frame of the colossal stone door. A shimmering field of energy thrummed ominously, and crackled with purple arcs like lightning bolts. There were five other doors leading out of the antechamber and they chose to keep heading east, more than a little confused about their location after unknowingly being magically warped across the dungeon. The characters knew nothing of the Pyramid, and their players had only foggy recollection. 😉 

Perched at the end of a long corridor, they reached the statue of the trickster, the patron of bad luck. Formed like a satyr, both its hands were behind its back. They checked it out with a mirror on a 10' pole, but saw only cupped hands and shadow. While approaching it, the illusionary floor beneath Lucky Pete (T2)'s feet disappeared, and Alex rolled a '1' on his save! The patron of bad luck indeed! 😱

Not-So-Lucky Pete fell 10' and took 3 damage, but had 7 hp remaining. Good thing for maximum hit dice rolls and CON 16! He may not be lucky, but he's tough! Unfortunately, from beyond the shadows of a massive crack in the wall, staring at him through the slit pupils of its emerald eyes: a dreaded HD 5 rock python! 🐍

Sir Percival (C2) jumped down into the pit to face the cold-blooded PC-killer (see also sessions 8 and 14, 2024). TA viscous fight followed. The Cleric got squeezed down to 4 hit points. The python would do an automatic 2d4 damage on its round, so Percival's life hung in the balance. They won initiative, and Percival struck first with his Mace +1, crushing the serpent's skull! 💪

The party searched the crack, which led 20' to the snake's lair. There, they found the corpse of a long-dead elf. The Cleric said a prayer, and the skeletal remains turned to ash and blew away. They took what was left, including  his Chainmail +2 and  other equipment. In his satchel, they found Treasure Map 1, which they followed once out of the pit. 

The session ended in the dungeon south of the gates of the Altar of Shadows with the delvers excavating an iron lockbox from beneath a flagstone . . .

The Sorcerer's Labyrinth Second Anniversary

 

On February 10, 2024, I rolled up a good ol' B/X dungeon on the fly for an impromptu pick-up game on the OSR Pick-Up Games Discord server. After a year-long campaign and 46 sessions, the players cleared the dungeon, slew the white dragon, defeated the red manticore, and dethroned the evil sorcerer, Mallacar. We had a blast! 

The first level of a multi-level dungeon of epic proportions was complete. Several months later and players are ready to return.  

Tonight is the fifth session of our second play-through, and the second anniversary of The Sorcerer's Labyrinth. The session starts in an hour, and I'm as excited to run it as players are to play it!

Melan's Favorite Judge's Guild Products

 

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