CONJECTURE GAMES PRESENTS:

UNE
the universal NPC emulator
revised

By Zach Best
Artwork by Matthew Vasey

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 “Nothing happens unless first we dream.” –Carl Sandberg

“One day one of my little nephews came up to me and asked me if the equator was a real
line that went around the Earth, or just an imaginary one. I had to laugh. Laugh and laugh.
Because I didn’t know, and I thought that maybe by laughing he would forget what he asked
me.” –Jack Handey

Dedicated to Claire.
I hope your imagination will be as wild and large as the sea.

Written by Zach Best

Artwork by Matthew Vasey ([email protected])
Published by Conjecture Games (www.conjecturegames.com)
Special Thanks to David Dankel, Matt Mooney, Aaron Zeitler, Keith Emery, and Scott
Rieger for playtesting, editing, and general commenting.
Very Special Thanks to my wife, Katie, who believes in me and supports me in every
way.

All text is © Zach Best (2007, 2014). All artwork is © Matthew

Vasey (2007) and used with permission. The mention of or
reference to any company or product in these pages is not a
challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned.

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 Table of Contents
What is UNE? pg. 4
Developer Notes pg. 5

NPC Creator pg. 6

-Examples pg. 9

NPC Interaction Emulator pg. 11

-Examples pg. 13

Appendix I - Tables pg. 14

Appendix II – UNE Tutorial, the Rivals, pg. 17
-Example, pg. 18

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 What is UNE? serves merely to deter the PC or increase the
UNE is a supplement for any pen and challenge difficulty. What happens when
paper roleplaying game to help facilitate the the PC engages with the neighbor with guile
creation and playing of a non-player instead of stealth. Is the neighbor brash?
character (“NPC”) to something with the Will the he run inside if threatened? Is he
depth of a true character. friendly enough to share a smoke with a
UNE is universal. It was designed to be stranger? What if the PC escalates the
run with every standing genre in tabletop situation?
roleplaying. Some terms must bend a little Other examples: a merchant of whom a
more depending on a genre. The terms are PC requests an abnormal favor, a waitress
not definite answers that restrict used as an information delivery prop with
possibilities; they are ideas to get the whom a PC starts to flirt, or an enemy that
creative juices flowing. is interrogated with unforeseen questions.
UNE is focused on the NPC aspect of a Undeveloped NPC’s can also occur when
game. With UNE, a simple NPC can a player wishes his PC to seek out a general
become a true character in the story with NPC he just “created.” A player decides his
just a few die rolls, and UNE can give that PC knows somebody, or at least knows they
NPC direction of purpose for itself, towards exist, and seeks them out. The problem
characters, and even for the story as a occurs when the PC starts interacting
whole. (usually requesting something) with the
UNE is an emulator. It can be used NPC. A well-rounded NPC contact can add
without a GM, and some of the best results more depth to the interaction than a
may occur when a whole group of players mechanical die roll.
uses it. Many skilled GM’s develop NPC depth
and information on the fly. However, even
the best GM’s can get stuck in an adversarial
When to use UNE or cliché rut. An adversarial creation makes
The supplement should be used when
the NPC as antagonistic as possible to create
the game is stuck on “who?”
a challenge or force direction. A clichéd
This typically arises is when a player
NPC will be born from the first idea that
wishes to have her player character (“PC”)
pops into mind, and it often will stem from
interact with an NPC that was created as a
archetypes of recent media.
prop.
UNE will give any shallow NPC a whole
A neighbor steps outside as a PC is
new meaning and depth. UNE can also be
about to break into a home to reflect an
used as an overlay when the NPC concept is
increased difficulty to the breaking and
pretty much solidified, and some extra ideas
entering action. As a prop the neighbor
will create a more fully-fleshed out character.

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 Developer Notes on UNE
Know Your Puppet The Rule of Negative Inference
An NPC is a puppet of either the GM, Some terms will have to be thrown out.
the solo player, or a collaborative table. The The conflict between the preconceptions or
better known the puppet is the better the other rolled terms will be too great to utilize
puppetmaster(s) can control it. The more them in such a way that the fun of the game
depth the NPC has the more it feels like an continues.
actual actor in the game. A deep NPC feels It is always better to keep moving
like it can walk on its own, without strings. forward than to spend a gross amount of
In roleplaying, either as a player or GM, time trying to reconcile some terms.
the question is what would the character do. However, it is beneficial to ask when paring
What would the barkeep do if offered a down terms “why does this term not work?”
bribe? What would the prince do if his This will not only strengthen your NPC
historic rise to power is mentioned? What concept, but it may also provide more depth
would a handler do if asked to do something to the preconceptions and terms that are left
off the books? on the table.
In a game where the GM has a clear UNE was designed to have most
sense of direction the NPC can be used as a characteristics be as complementary as
prop in the sense that it doesn’t matter what possible. Coming upon a hermit that has
was written down about the NPC in the GM lived in the swamp for thirty years, and then
notes. What matters is how to get the story rolling “drifter” may cause a few problems.
going where the GM intends it to go. The idea is to use the rolled terms as a
In a GM-less game or one where the GM broadly interpreted overlay to color the pre-
is freeforming, the use of an NPC as a prop conceived NPC. The “drifter” swamp hermit
has less story merit. The use of an NPC as could be one who lives in a houseboat
an actual character, on the other hand, will floating around the swamp. If “drifter” just
produce greater scenes. doesn’t feel right then reinforce the fact that
the hermit is a permanent denizen of the
Context, Context, Context!
swamp, and move along.
UNE is nothing without context. The
more context available to use when
determining UNE’s outcomes the better the Story Creation
final NPC. How does this relate to the game One of the easiest ways to create an
and setting? How does this relate to the adventure is to create numerous NPC’s and
current circumstances? How does this relate then make a tangled web between them all.
to the other UNE results? Those three Have the players sort out who is right, who
questions should be asked if a term doesn’t wins, etc. UNE works well for this GM
feel right. exercise because it eliminates much of the
Always fall back to interpreting the words time consuming applications of character
heavily in context of the game. In Vampire: creation. The results (and gameplay) may
the Requiem a serf might be a blood doll and work out surprisingly well, even when little
a thug might be a ghoul. In Godlike a crone time can be given to adventure/story
could be a Polish yenta and a bum could be a creation. Check out conjecturegames.com
prisoner of war. A sorcerer in Stars Without for tutorials on using UNE to create
Number might be a theoretical astrophysicist adventure.
who makes gadgets out of those theories. Use
the gravity of the game!

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 NPC Creator
The NPC Creator is used to create or refine existing NPCs. One of the strongest core
concepts to a person is “what do you do?” The NPC Modifier and NPC Noun combine to name
the NPC.
The second half of the NPC Creator is to form motivations for the NPC. It exists to further
push the boundaries of the NPC. For example, a “fair judge” is a fairly vanilla NPC, but when it
gets the motivation to “persecute old religions” that judge starts getting some nice, rough edges.

0. Determine any pre-conceived facts. If there are any concrete ideas about the NPC that
must remain, now is the time to jot them down.

1. Determine what the NPC is. Roll a d100 (or 2 d10’s with one d10 being the 10’s) to obtain
an NPC Modifier from Table 1. Roll a d100 to obtain an NPC Noun from Table 2. Combine the
two as if forming a simple sentence to describe the NPC. For example if a 21 is rolled followed
by a 45, the combination would read “Inept Actor.” If some facts about the NPC are previously
known, merely use what works and discard what does not.

Table 1: NPC Modifier

1 superfluous 21 inept 41 pleasant 61 lethargic 81 jovial
2 addicted 22 banal 42 insensitive 62 defiant 82 shrewd
3 conformist 23 logical 43 titled 63 obnoxious 83 liberal
4 nefarious 24 subtle 44 inexperienced 64 insightful 84 compliant
5 sensible 25 reputable 45 prying 65 tactless 85 destitute
6 untrained 26 wicked 46 oblivious 66 fanatic 86 conniving
7 romantic 27 lazy 47 refined 67 plebeian 87 careful
8 unreasonable 28 pessimistic 48 indispensable 68 childish 88 alluring
9 skilled 29 solemn 49 scholarly 69 pious 89 defective
10 neglectful 30 habitual 50 conservative 70 uneducated 90 optimistic
11 lively 31 meek 51 uncouth 71 inconsiderate 91 affluent
12 forthright 32 helpful 52 willful 72 cultured 92 despondent
13 idealistic 33 unconcerned 53 indifferent 73 revolting 93 mindless
14 unsupportive 34 generous 54 fickle 74 curious 94 passionate
15 rational 35 docile 55 elderly 75 touchy 95 devoted
16 coarse 36 cheery 56 sinful 76 needy 96 established
17 foolish 37 pragmatic 57 naive 77 dignified 97 unseemly
18 cunning 38 serene 58 privileged 78 pushy 98 dependable
19 delightful 39 thoughtful 59 glum 79 kind 99 righteous
20 miserly 40 hopeless 60 likable 80 corrupt 100 confident

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 Table 2: NPC Noun
1 gypsy 21 missionary 41 villager 61 mediator 81 performer
2 witch 22 outcast 42 magus 62 crook 82 magister
3 merchant 23 mercenary 43 conscript 63 civilian 83 serf
4 expert 24 caretaker 44 worker 64 activist 84 brute
5 commoner 25 hermit 45 actor 65 hero 85 inquisitor
6 judge 26 orator 46 herald 66 champion 86 lord
7 ranger 27 chieftain 47 highwayman 67 cleric 87 villain
8 occultist 28 pioneer 48 fortune-hunter 68 slave 88 professor
9 reverend 29 burglar 49 governor 69 gunman 89 servant
10 thug 30 vicar 50 scrapper 70 clairvoyant 90 charmer
11 drifter 31 officer 51 monk 71 patriarch 91 globetrotter
12 journeyman 32 explorer 52 homemaker 72 shopkeeper 92 sniper
13 statesman 33 warden 53 recluse 73 crone 93 courtier
14 astrologer 34 outlaw 54 steward 74 adventurer 94 priest
15 duelist 35 adept 55 polymath 75 soldier 95 tradesman
16 jack-of-all-trades 36 bum 56 magician 76 entertainer 96 hitman
17 aristocrat 37 sorcerer 57 traveler 77 craftsman 97 wizard
18 preacher 38 laborer 58 vagrant 78 scientist 98 beggar
19 artisan 39 master 59 apprentice 79 ascetic 99 tradesman
20 rogue 40 ascendant 60 politician 80 superior 100 warrior

2. (Optional) Find the NPC Power Level. Determine the randomness level (“R-level”) of
the scene by assigning a numeric value ranging from orderly to chaotic. The R-level can also
represent a difficulty level where the higher the R-level the harder the challenges. Roll a d100 to
determine the NPC’s power level relative to that of the PC’s using Table 3. For example if the R-
level is Disarray and a 76 is rolled, the NPC will be Slightly Stronger than the PC’s.

(Optional) Table 3: NPC Power Level

R-level Much Slightly Comparable Slightly Much
Weaker Weaker Stronger Stronger
Order (1) 1-2 3-10 11-90 91-98 99-100
Calm (2) 1-4 5-15 16-85 86-96 97-100
Standard (3) 1-5 6-20 21-80 81-95 96-100
Disarray (4) 1-8 9-25 26-75 76-92 93-100
Chaos (5) 1-12 13-30 31-70 71-88 89-100

3. Determine the NPC’s Motivations. Roll a d100 for an NPC Motivation Verb in Table 4,
and roll a d100 for an NPC Motivation Noun from Table 5. Combine the two as if to form a
simple sentence. Repeat this two more times. If the second or third rolled NPC Motivation
Noun is in the same column as a previously rolled Motivation noun, discard the roll and re-roll.
For example, the first roll is a 24 followed by a 94, giving “Chronicle Animals.” The second
roll is a 60 followed by a 7, giving “Account Opulence.” The final roll is a 21 followed by an 89.
However 89 is in the same column as the previously rolled 94. Therefore that NPC Motivation
Noun must be re-rolled. NPC Motivation Verb rolls never have to be re-rolled based on column.

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 Table 4: NPC Motivation Verb
1 advise 21 shepherd 41 take 61 work 81 manage
2 obtain 22 abuse 42 discover 62 accompany 82 suppress
3 attempt 23 indulge 43 deter 63 offend 83 proclaim
4 spoil 24 chronicle 44 acquire 64 guide 84 operate
5 oppress 25 fulfill 45 damage 65 learn 85 access
6 interact 26 drive 46 publicize 66 persecute 86 refine
7 create 27 review 47 burden 67 communicate 87 compose
8 abduct 28 aid 48 advocate 68 process 88 undermine
9 promote 29 follow 49 implement 69 report 89 explain
10 conceive 30 advance 50 understand 70 develop 90 discourage
11 blight 31 guard 51 collaborate 71 steal 91 attend
12 progress 32 conquer 52 strive 72 suggest 92 detect
13 distress 33 hinder 53 complete 73 weaken 93 execute
14 possess 34 plunder 54 compel 74 achieve 94 maintain
15 record 35 construct 55 join 75 secure 95 realize
16 embrace 36 encourage 56 assist 76 inform 96 convey
17 contact 37 agonize 57 defile 77 patronize 97 rob
18 pursue 38 comprehend 58 produce 78 depress 98 establish
19 associate 39 administer 59 institute 79 determine 99 overthrow
20 prepare 40 relate 60 account 80 seek 100 support

Table 5: NPC Motivation Noun

1 wealth 21 the wealthy 41 dreams 61 gluttony 81 advice
2 hardship 22 the populous 42 discretion 62 lust 82 propaganda
3 affluence 23 enemies 43 love 63 envy 83 science
4 resources 24 the public 44 freedom 64 greed 84 knowledge
5 prosperity 25 religion 45 pain 65 laziness 85 communications
6 poverty 26 the poor 46 faith 66 wrath 86 lies
7 opulence 27 family 47 slavery 67 pride 87 myths
8 deprivation 28 the elite 48 enlightenment 68 purity 88 riddles
9 success 29 academia 49 racism 69 moderation 89 stories
10 distress 30 the forsaken 50 sensuality 70 vigilance 90 legends
11 contraband 31 the law 51 dissonance 71 zeal 91 industry
12 music 32 the government 52 peace 72 composure 92 new religions
13 literature 33 the oppressed 53 discrimination 73 charity 93 progress
14 technology 34 friends 54 disbelief 74 modesty 94 animals
15 alcohol 35 criminals 55 pleasure 75 atrocities 95 ghosts
16 medicines 36 allies 56 hate 76 cowardice 96 magic
17 beauty 37 secret societies 57 happiness 77 narcissism 97 nature
18 strength 38 the world 58 servitude 78 compassion 98 old religions
19 intelligence 39 military 59 harmony 79 valor 99 expertise
20 force 40 the church 60 justice 80 patience 100 spirits

4. Combine all the terms to create an NPC. The creator should now have a rough sentence
describing the qualities of the NPC. For example: A corrupt recluse, slightly stronger than the
party, guards moderation, abuses pleasure, and communicates prosperity. The next step is to
decide the why or how for each term. The examples that follow will expand on this process.
Having context is the best way to determine how the created sentence will generate an NPC. Try
to link the terms not only to the overall game or setting, but also to the story, campaign,
chronicle, or adventure itself.

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 Completely Random NPC Creator Examples:
The Neighboring King
The setting is in a generic fantasy RPG. Allusions have been made about a neighboring
kingdom, and I want to roll up the ruler of that realm. The kingdom will then mirror the ruler.

Step 0: The only fact I know is that the NPC is a king of a nearby kingdom.

Step 1: Rolled 4 on the NPC Modifier table to get “nefarious”, and rolled 87 on the NPC Noun
table to get “officer”.

In contemporary times this could easily be a general who rose to power with a military coup.
While not as standard in a generic fantasy game with birthrights, noble houses, etc., it would
make for an interesting neighboring kingdom. This king is well known for his atrocities in his
rise to power through the kingdom’s military.

Step 2: As we know the king is powerful, this step will be skipped.

Step 3a: The first motivation is rolled for (3) “attempt” and (9) “success” from Tables 4 and 5.

Words can make the difference. As the king, this man has achieved the success of rising to
power through the military, staging a coup, and becoming king. This might be enough to fill the
role of the first motivation. I decide to go beyond so that the king is still motivated to “attempt
success”. The king is still figuring out how to rule a kingdom, which would make the king’s rise
to power a more recent event.

Step 3b: The second motivation is rolled for (70) “develop” and a 10 is rolled for the
motivation noun, but because the step 3a motivation noun roll of 9 and the newly-rolled 10 are
in the same column, the latter is re-rolled to (44) “freedom”. The second motivation is “develop
freedom”.

We have a “nefarious king”, but that doesn’t mean we need to make a completely evil
character. Perhaps the reason for all the atrocities is that the “nefarious king” is actually a lesser
evil to the previous ruler. This is where context of the game world would come in handy to point
to that greater evil, but for now I will add that the king’s rise to power was paved with good
intentions.

Step 3c: The third motivation is rolled for (13) “distress” and (95) “ghosts”. Note that the first
and third NPC Motivation Verbs came from the same column. This does not require a re-roll,
as a re-roll is required only if successive NPC Motivation Nouns are from the same column.

“Distress ghosts” can go two ways, and my gut reaction is I want the king to have an Achilles’
heel. The first interpretation is that the king is making a ghostly being pretty unhappy. I could
easily think that the king is dancing on some graves. It is more interesting, to me, if the king is in
distress over the ghosts of his past rise to power. Perhaps in the fantasy game they are real
ghosts, but it could be just as likely that they are his personal or mental ghosts.

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 The Handler

In many detective or spy games there will be a point-of-contact for the players. This person
is usually the key to initiating adventures and acts as a go-between from the players to whatever
agency or powerful entity has the players acting. I’ve gone the “man in black” handler far too
often, and I want to see if UNE can break my stereotypical go-to.

Step 0: This character is a handler for the characters. She works directly for the FBI.

Step 1: The dice are rolled and the NPC modifier is (64) “insightful” and the NPC noun is (44)
“worker”.

This isn’t that stereotype breaking, but it does start to get the juices flowing. “Worker”
further amplifies her role as a handler. She does her job. Perhaps “insightful” tweaks it a little bit
by making her see the PC’s side of things as well as the agency’s.

Step 2: At an R-level of Standard (3), she is (18) slightly weaker than the party.

Step 3a: The first motivation is rolled to be (93) execute (4) resources.
Step 3b: The second motivation is rolled to be is (60) account (21) the wealthy.
Step 3c: The third motivation is rolled to be (1) advise (64) greed.

Instead of fleshing out the NPC step-by-step as in The Neighboring King example, in this
example I will roll and interpret all the motivations at once.
The motivation to “execute resources” could mean the PC’s as assets or it could mean the
agency’s resources. Either way this might edge her to in an accountant-type direction. This can
kind of tie in to “account the wealthy”. She keeps tabs on money. With “advise greed” I kind of
have an idea where this is going. I’ll smash three stereotypes together to see if she can’t become
a bit more interesting. She is going to be a well-informed handler with a bookish nature that
came from a close, wealthy family.
This won’t change her role as “quest giver” for the characters, but now I can drop in things
that gave her more dimensions. She is very strict with any resource requests, including post-
adventure resources (“where is the ordinance?”), she can explain things on the agency’s behalf
without such a stonewall, and she might be distracted at times dealing with her rich family, who
might also need handling.

For more UNE Examples check out conjecturegames.com!

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 NPC Interaction Emulator
NPC Mood
The NPC Mood module is used to determine the NPC’s mood in the scene. It can be used to
add some twists to the game. If a friendly NPC turns up very guarded to the PC’s all of the
sudden there is likely something going on.
The most important thing to ask when given a surprising roll is “why?” A spy handler that is
“forthcoming” one day and only “sociable” could be explained with personal life, situation of the
mission, etc., but when the spy handler becomes “cautious” around the PC’s, something must be
up.
The NPC Mood module also puts immediate spin on any blander neutral character. A neutral
barkeep being neutral can be rather boring. A barkeep being overly friendly or overly cautious to
the PC’s can flavor the world a bit better. Perhaps there is nothing to it but the PC’s reputation
having already reached the barkeep. Perhaps it’s just the barkeep’s prejudices. Either way the
game gets a tad more colorful.
1. Determine the NPC Relationship to the speaking character. This is the long term
variable between the PC and the NPC. It should rarely change from use to use unless major in-
game effects occur between the NPC and the PC. That is not to say an NPC cannot go from
neutral to hostile in the course of the scene; only that this change should be strongly justified in
game.
2. Determine the NPC Conversation Mood to the speaking character. Roll a d100 to
determine the NPC’s current conversation mood.

Table 6: NPC Conversation Mood

loved 1 2-6 7-16 17-31 32-70 71-85 86-100
Relationship
NPC

friendly 1-2 3-8 9-20 21-40 41-76 77-89 90-100

peaceful 1-3 4-11 12-25 26-55 56-82 83-93 94-100
neutral 1-5 6-15 16-30 31-60 71-85 86-95 96-100
distrustful 1-7 8-18 19-46 47-76 77-90 91-97 98-100
hostile 1-11 12-24 25-61 62-81 82-93 94-98 99-100
hated 1-15 16-30 31-69 70-84 85-94 95-99 100
withdrawn guarded cautious neutral sociable helpful forthcoming
NPC Conversation Mood

NPC Importance
This emulator should be used when you have no idea what the NPC will want to talk about. It
gives the NPC’s raison d’être, the actor’s reason for being in the story. This emulator can be
used to help figure out why the NPC appeared, or what purpose that NPC will bring. Instead of
dealing with binary responses using the NPC Response module, you can use the NPC Discussion
module to quickly focus the conversational aspect of the NPC.
1. Determine the NPC Bearing. The NPC Bearing is how the NPC regards the focus of the
discussion. If there are enough facts to do so, choose the demeanor of the NPC from the top of
Table 7. Otherwise roll a d100 or d8 to determine the demeanor. After a demeanor has been
determined, roll a d10 or d100 to find the NPC Bearing using Table 7.

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 Table 7: NPC Bearing
scheming insane friendly hostile
1-12 (1) 13-24 (2) 25-36 (3) 37-49 (4)
1-10 (1) intent madness alliance death
11-20 (2) bargain fear comfort capture
21-30 (3) means accident gratitude judgment
31-40 (4) proposition chaos shelter combat
41-50 (5) plan idiocy happiness surrender
51-60 (6) compromise illusion support rage
61-70 (7) agenda turmoil promise resentment
71-80 (8) arrangement confusion delight submission
81-90 (9) negotiation façade aid injury
91-100 (10) plot bewilderment celebration destruction
inquisitive knowing mysterious prejudiced
50-62 (5) 63-75 (6) 76-88 (7) 89-100 (8)
1-10 (1) questions report rumor reputation
11-20 (2) investigation effects uncertainty doubt
21-30 (3) interest examination secrets bias
31-40 (4) demand records misdirection dislike
41-50 (5) suspicion account whispers partiality
51-60 (6) request news lies belief
61-70 (7) curiosity history shadows view
71-80 (8) skepticism telling enigma discrimination
81-90 (9) command discourse obscurity assessment
91-100 (10) petition speech conundrum difference

2. Determine the NPC Focus. Roll d100 to find the NPC focus of the conversation using
Table 8. If possible the NPC Focus should be regarded as pertaining to the PC of the player
rolling, the PC that will be speaking, or the party members in general. It may be helpful to put
the word “PC’s” or “your” in front of the NPC Focus if there is a question. It is also helpful to
narrow the NPC Focus. If “last story” was rolled figure out what the last story was. What
happened during the last story that made this NPC want to discuss it?

Table 8: NPC Focus

1-3 current scene 4-6 last story 7-9 equipment
10-12 parents 13-15 history 16-18 retainers
19-21 wealth 22-24 relics 25-27 last action
28-30 skills 31-33 superiors 34-36 fame
37-39 campaign 40-42 future action 43-45 friends
46-48 allies 49-51 last scene 52-54 contacts
55-57 flaws 58-60 antagonist 61-63 rewards
64-66 experience 67-69 knowledge 70-72 recent scene
73-75 community 76-78 treasure 79-81 the character
82-84 current story 85-87 family 88-90 power
91-93 weapons 94-96 previous scene 97-100 enemy

3. Combine the NPC Bearing and NPC Focus to determine the basis of the NPC
Discussion. The words should be combined as in a simple sentence; for example, “the insane
NPC speaks of madness regarding the PC’s allies.” That sentence will be the substance of what
the NPC will want to discuss.

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 Completely Random NPC Importance module Story Hooks :
The Neighboring King

Using the example from above, if the party meets with the neighboring king, a nefarious kind of
guy, encounters will likely be “distrustful” or worse on the NPC relationship scale. NPC
conversation mood is much more dynamic.

Regale Me! [NPC Bearing (27/43) happiness (friendly); NPC focus (64) experience] – the king
has heard of the party’s legend, and he wants to be entertained (and distracted) by some of the
PC’s adventures. Change his mood if he hears of any oppression.

Steep Toll [NPC Bearing (52/35) demand (inquisitive); NPC focus (78) treasure] – the new
kingdom’s government needs funds, and the party may have inadvertently “crossed” borders.
This may provide a good encounter to introducing the neighboring kingdom. The king could also
force the PC’s to find some lost treasure.

Ex-National Treasures [NPC Bearing (74/15) effects (knowing); NPC focus (22) relics] – a lot of
the kingdom’s past has been dumped into the treasury (otherwise bare), which includes a
MacGuffin the PC’s need. The king will gladly unload any of this “worthless” junk for a steep fee,
but the PC’s might stir up some of the past in obtaining the relic they need.

The Handler

The other example involves the detective/superhero PC’s handler that was created above. The
NPC Binary Response table will usually be on the good half since she is clearly an ally.

Family Issues [NPC Bearing (43/61) resentment (hostile); NPC focus (90) power] – the handler
started working for the FBI to escape her planned, rich life. Her family wields a lot of power and
is making her rise in the FBI troublesome.

Mishandled [NPC Bearing (43/61) chaos (insane); NPC focus (46) allies] – the handler just
doesn’t handle the PC’s wackjob group; she also handles a few other groups of operatives.
Usually all the assets are carefully allocated and managed, but somehow there has been a mixup.
Either the PC’s lost some equipment or another team did.

Ceremonial [NPC Bearing (43/61) promise (friendly); NPC focus (75) community] - for a job
well done, the PC’s have earned a medal of honor. Unfortunately, the FBI doesn’t want any more
ties than it already has to the PC’s group. As a running joke, the handler might be bringing this
up quite often.

For more UNE Examples check out conjecturegames.com!

13

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 Appendix I: Tables
Table 1: NPC Modifier
1 superfluous 21 inept 41 pleasant 61 lethargic 81 jovial
2 addicted 22 banal 42 insensitive 62 defiant 82 shrewd
3 conformist 23 logical 43 titled 63 obnoxious 83 liberal
4 nefarious 24 subtle 44 inexperienced 64 insightful 84 compliant
5 sensible 25 reputable 45 prying 65 tactless 85 destitute
6 untrained 26 wicked 46 oblivious 66 fanatic 86 conniving
7 romantic 27 lazy 47 refined 67 plebeian 87 careful
8 unreasonable 28 pessimistic 48 indispensable 68 childish 88 alluring
9 skilled 29 solemn 49 scholarly 69 pious 89 defective
10 neglectful 30 habitual 50 conservative 70 uneducated 90 optimistic
11 lively 31 meek 51 uncouth 71 inconsiderate 91 affluent
12 forthright 32 helpful 52 willful 72 cultured 92 despondent
13 idealistic 33 unconcerned 53 indifferent 73 revolting 93 mindless
14 unsupportive 34 generous 54 fickle 74 curious 94 passionate
15 rational 35 docile 55 elderly 75 touchy 95 devoted
16 coarse 36 cheery 56 sinful 76 needy 96 established
17 foolish 37 pragmatic 57 naive 77 dignified 97 unseemly
18 cunning 38 serene 58 privileged 78 pushy 98 dependable
19 delightful 39 thoughtful 59 glum 79 kind 99 righteous
20 miserly 40 hopeless 60 likable 80 corrupt 100 confident

Table 2: NPC Noun

1 gypsy 21 missionary 41 villager 61 mediator 81 performer
2 witch 22 outcast 42 magus 62 crook 82 magister
3 merchant 23 mercenary 43 conscript 63 civilian 83 serf
4 expert 24 caretaker 44 worker 64 activist 84 brute
5 commoner 25 hermit 45 actor 65 hero 85 inquisitor
6 judge 26 orator 46 herald 66 champion 86 lord
7 ranger 27 chieftain 47 highwayman 67 cleric 87 villain
8 occultist 28 pioneer 48 fortune-hunter 68 slave 88 professor
9 reverend 29 burglar 49 governor 69 gunman 89 servant
10 thug 30 vicar 50 scrapper 70 clairvoyant 90 charmer
11 drifter 31 officer 51 monk 71 patriarch 91 globetrotter
12 journeyman 32 explorer 52 homemaker 72 shopkeeper 92 sniper
13 statesman 33 warden 53 recluse 73 crone 93 courtier
14 astrologer 34 outlaw 54 steward 74 adventurer 94 priest
15 duelist 35 adept 55 polymath 75 soldier 95 tradesman
16 jack-of-all-trades 36 bum 56 magician 76 entertainer 96 hitman
17 aristocrat 37 sorcerer 57 traveler 77 craftsman 97 wizard
18 preacher 38 laborer 58 vagrant 78 scientist 98 beggar
19 artisan 39 master 59 apprentice 79 ascetic 99 tradesman
20 rogue 40 ascendant 60 politician 80 superior 100 warrior

(Optional) Table 3: NPC Power Level

R- Much Slightly Comparable Slightly Much
level Weaker Weaker Stronger Stronger
1 1-2 3-10 11-90 91-98 99-100
2 1-4 5-15 16-85 86-96 97-100
3 1-5 6-20 21-80 81-95 96-100
4 1-8 9-25 26-75 76-92 93-100
5 1-12 13-30 31-70 71-88 89-100

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 Table 4: NPC Motivation Verb
1 advise 21 shepherd 41 take 61 work 81 manage
2 obtain 22 abuse 42 discover 62 accompany 82 suppress
3 attempt 23 indulge 43 deter 63 offend 83 proclaim
4 spoil 24 chronicle 44 acquire 64 guide 84 operate
5 oppress 25 fulfill 45 damage 65 learn 85 access
6 interact 26 drive 46 publicize 66 persecute 86 refine
7 create 27 review 47 burden 67 communicate 87 compose
8 abduct 28 aid 48 advocate 68 process 88 undermine
9 promote 29 follow 49 implement 69 report 89 explain
10 conceive 30 advance 50 understand 70 develop 90 discourage
11 blight 31 guard 51 collaborate 71 steal 91 attend
12 progress 32 conquer 52 strive 72 suggest 92 detect
13 distress 33 hinder 53 complete 73 weaken 93 execute
14 possess 34 plunder 54 compel 74 achieve 94 maintain
15 record 35 construct 55 join 75 secure 95 realize
16 embrace 36 encourage 56 assist 76 inform 96 convey
17 contact 37 agonize 57 defile 77 patronize 97 rob
18 pursue 38 comprehend 58 produce 78 depress 98 establish
19 associate 39 administer 59 institute 79 determine 99 overthrow
20 prepare 40 relate 60 account 80 seek 100 support

Table 5: NPC Motivation Noun

1 wealth 21 the wealthy 41 dreams 61 gluttony 81 advice
2 hardship 22 the populous 42 discretion 62 lust 82 propaganda
3 affluence 23 enemies 43 love 63 envy 83 science
4 resources 24 the public 44 freedom 64 greed 84 knowledge
5 prosperity 25 religion 45 pain 65 laziness 85 communications
6 poverty 26 the poor 46 faith 66 wrath 86 lies
7 opulence 27 family 47 slavery 67 pride 87 myths
8 deprivation 28 the elite 48 enlightenment 68 purity 88 riddles
9 success 29 academia 49 racism 69 moderation 89 stories
10 distress 30 the forsaken 50 sensuality 70 vigilance 90 legends
11 contraband 31 the law 51 dissonance 71 zeal 91 industry
12 music 32 the government 52 peace 72 composure 92 new religions
13 literature 33 the oppressed 53 discrimination 73 charity 93 progress
14 technology 34 friends 54 disbelief 74 modesty 94 animals
15 alcohol 35 criminals 55 pleasure 75 atrocities 95 ghosts
16 medicines 36 allies 56 hate 76 cowardice 96 magic
17 beauty 37 secret societies 57 happiness 77 narcissism 97 nature
18 strength 38 the world 58 servitude 78 compassion 98 old religions
19 intelligence 39 military 59 harmony 79 valor 99 expertise
20 force 40 the church 60 justice 80 patience 100 spirits

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 Table 6: NPC Conversation Mood
loved 1 2-6 7-16 17-31 32-70 71-85 86-100
Relationship
NPC

friendly 1-2 3-8 9-20 21-40 41-76 77-89 90-100

peaceful 1-3 4-11 12-25 26-55 56-82 83-93 94-100
neutral 1-5 6-15 16-30 31-60 71-85 86-95 96-100
distrustful 1-7 8-18 19-46 47-76 77-90 91-97 98-100
hostile 1-11 12-24 25-61 62-81 82-93 94-98 99-100
hated 1-15 16-30 31-69 70-84 85-94 95-99 100
withdrawn guarded cautious neutral sociable helpful forthcoming
NPC Conversation Mood

Table 7: NPC Bearing

scheming insane friendly hostile
1-12 (1) 13-24 (2) 25-36 (3) 37-49 (4)
1-10 (1) intent madness alliance death
11-20 (2) bargain fear comfort capture
21-30 (3) means accident gratitude judgment
31-40 (4) proposition chaos shelter combat
41-50 (5) plan idiocy happiness surrender
51-60 (6) compromise illusion support rage
61-70 (7) agenda turmoil promise resentment
71-80 (8) arrangement confusion delight submission
81-90 (9) negotiation façade aid injury
91-100 (10) plot bewilderment celebration destruction
inquisitive knowing mysterious prejudiced
50-62 (5) 63-75 (6) 76-88 (7) 89-100 (8)
1-10 (1) questions report rumor reputation
11-20 (2) investigation effects uncertainty doubt
21-30 (3) interest examination secrets bias
31-40 (4) demand records misdirection dislike
41-50 (5) suspicion account whispers partiality
51-60 (6) request news lies belief
61-70 (7) curiosity history shadows view
71-80 (8) skepticism telling enigma discrimination
81-90 (9) command discourse obscurity assessment
91-100 (10) petition speech conundrum difference

Table 8: NPC Focus

1-3 current scene 4-6 last story 7-9 equipment
10-12 parents 13-15 history 16-18 retainers
19-21 wealth 22-24 relics 25-27 last action
28-30 skills 31-33 superiors 34-36 fame
37-39 campaign 40-42 future action 43-45 friends
46-48 allies 49-51 last scene 52-54 contacts
55-57 flaws 58-60 antagonist 61-63 rewards
64-66 experience 67-69 knowledge 70-72 recent scene
73-75 community 76-78 treasure 79-81 the character
82-84 current story 85-87 family 88-90 power
91-93 weapons 94-96 previous scene 97-100 enemy

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 Appendix II: Rivals (UNE Tutorial)
Every party should have rivals. Not enemies, that’s a give in. No, give the PC group some
good ol’ fashioned competition. Make the Knuckles to your player’s Sonic. The Malfoy to their
Potter. The Pepsi to their Coke. Of course, the PC’s are in a party so make a party of rivals!
Regardless of the size of your player’s PC party, I would start the Rivals off with a party of
three. You can always add more, but three should be enough to give them each a personality to
drive the players up the wall.
Choose any context you want. If you are a GM then make some PC rivals for your RPG
group. If you don’t have any PC’s in mind choose your favorite setting from any medium (comic
book, movie, novel, etc.) and make off-screen rivals for your favorite characters.

Step 1: Grab three notecards or sheets of paper. On each notecard roll up an NPC with the
NPC Creator module.

Step 2: Determine the leader, the second, and the lackey. The leader should be a bit more
powerful than the average of your PC’s. The second should be about the same as the PC’s, and
the lackey should be weaker.

Step 3: Determine their average disposition towards each other by noting the NPC
Conversation Mood from Table 6. This determines on average how helpful they are to each
other, or polite, or condescending, etc.

Step 4: Determine their usual bearing towards the party by rolling Table 7. Table 8 might
help at this point, but a lot of Table 8 focuses on the current events surrounding the PC’s.

For more UNE Tutorials check out conjecturegames.com!

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 Rivals Random Example

The players have created a fairly simple fantasy party with some melee, some thievery, some
wizardry, and some holiness. Here is a completely random rival party created per the instruction
above.

Step 1:
(1) A needy inquisitor who processes science, agonizes disbelief, and guides the populous.
(2) A fickle mercenary who communicates servitude, guards wealth, and reports the
oppressed.
(3) A refined master who executes spirits, works gluttony, and determines deprivation.

The refined master reminds me of a gentlemen torturer. Say if Dracula came up from his
basement of horrors, wiped his bloody hands clean, and then joined his guests for tea. “Executes
spirits” gives him a slight magic bent so I would make him a witch, sorcerer, or necromancer. I
would say he is in complete control of the rivals, and seems to have the uncanny ability to know
what the party is always lacking (“wouldn’t it be helpful if you had more rope”). His name is
Stoker.
The fickle mercenary reminds me of Bronn from The Song of Ice and Fire novel series. He’s
always poking fun at his position of being in service to the refined master, but he does his job
well. He also keeps tabs on the party (“the oppressed”) or possibly the refined master’s slaves or
household. His name is Bronn because I like Bronn.
The needy inquisitor definitely has that Doofenshmirtz feel (Phineas and Ferb). With the
motivations, I would modify inquisitor to some type of scientist instead of an actual NPC with
the Inquisitor class. This NPC is the rivals’ wild card. “Guides the populous” is the hardest
motivation to place, but it is possible that some of his inventions are well known across the land
(much to the PC’s chagrin). His name is Mirz.

Step 2:
I lay out my notecards. They seem apparent in terms of rival party status. The refined master
seems like the leader. The fickle mercenary seems like the second-in-command, and the needy
inquisitor sounds like the lackey.

Step 3:
Stoker is distrustful and cautious around Bronn. He knows that the mercenary could go
find a master with more coin at any time. Stoker is peaceful and helpful to Mirz since he has
the needy scientist wrapped around his finger. Bronn is hostile and cautious towards Mirz
since Mirz is too much of a wildcard for Bronn’s replaceable position. I will stop there and just
say each reciprocates in kind. To add another layer of complexity, Bronn’s attitude towards
Stoker, and so on, could be decided and rolled separately.

Step 4:
Stoker is usually telling (knowing) to the party. I would assume it is usually in a mocking
manner.
Bronn is usually compromising (scheming) to the party. Perhaps he could be ready to switch
allegiances, and is looking for an out. Perhaps he is trying to keep tabs on the PC's.
Mirz is usually chaotic (insane) to the party. I would say of the three he is the least aware
that he is a rival to anybody.

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