30 NPCs In 30 Days

What was I thinking?

I am on day 15 of my 30 days, 30 NPCs on my Youtube channel? Why am I doing this? I have asked myself that many times but this 30 days run is slightly simpler than my 30 Dungeons in 30 Days I did last year.

The point of it all for me is tri-fold

It’s an act of discipline

While others head to the physical gym to lose weight, get healthier, etc. the act of creating for 30 days is far easier on my physical muscles but put an equal amount of strain on my creative and imagination muscles so they might also be challenged and grow.

It’s an act of defiance

Apathy is cancer, a disease I cannot afford to succumb to both from a human standpoint and a creative standpoint. When I started building my own setting last year, I was enthused and excited but then I hit a block, “Where do I go from here?”

This 30 day project is poulating and expanding my setting but also refueling my creative juices. Screw you apathy!

It’s an act of discovery

I have always sought to push my creative boundaries and what better way than to write and make videos. Each of my NPC videos start with a story, a snapshot of what this character might look like in someone’s game.

I have tried to make a movie or book comparison for these npcs so others might have familiar idea of what I was shooting for. True, some of my comparisons are a bit old school, well, because I am old not everyone will get the point of reference but there are other npcs who the general population will get.

Here is a sample of my latest NPC

Bethel sat at her desk drawing another map of an area tarnished by The Hexing. She stretches and looks over at a exquisitely carved compass, and gives it a tap while thinking of her father when there’s a knock on the door. A messenger leaves her with a note from The Silver Quill Society, “Beth, thank you for the maps you have been sending us. We are hearing reports of strange happenings near Cursegrave, can you investigate? Hoping you find your father.” She taps her compass one more time, smiles and grabs her bag as she heads out the door.

I modeled Bethel Halfwick after Alicia Vikander’s role in the 2018 remake of Tomb Raider. Bethel is tough, smart and, like Lara Croft, is on a mission to find her missing father.

You may encounter Bethel while adventuring out west or you may meet up with her in Cursegrave as she searches for her father. Who knows, she may ask you for your help.

All 30 of these NPCs will be in my newest Crit Happens zine at the end of the month.

I’d love to hear from you, how are you pushing your creative boundaries this year and keeping that apathy at bay?