Creator Spotlight: Em’s Campaigns and Characters
Meet the Creator: Emily!
Give us a quick overview of what you make!
I make PC, NPC, and Campaign Concepts specifically for D&D 5e. I also post Session Summaries from my own D&D 5e campaigns and D&D related fiction and poetry that I’ve written.
How did you get started in gaming?
I got into TTRPGs about three years ago, and I started to learn how to play D&D 5e by watching tutorial videos and livestreams of different campaigns. I joined my first campaign about a year and a half ago, and now I’m addicted to the point where I’m constantly making new content for it.
What inspired you to create the things you create?
I’ve always considered myself particularly creative. I’d found an outlet for that creativity in D&D. Then, I just decided that I didn’t only want to share my work with my friends. I wanted to know what other people thought. I wanted to provide ideas and resources for TTRPGs that people could take and run with. I do this to inspire creativity in others.
What is your next big goal for gaming-related work?
Right now, I’d love to see my Twitter following grow. I’ve seen some great success and I love the community for TTRPGs there. I’d also really love to have more blog readership. I’d like to average about 25-30 reads a day if I could.
What's one strange fact people should know about you?
I’m a full-time college student who runs a blog and three weekly D&D campaigns… and I love it.
The below is a post that showcases Emily’s amazing work! The original can be found here, where you can also find other fantastic concepts for you to use!
NPC Concept: Tavern Owners and Barkeeps
Overview
Ah yes, tavern owners. Pretty much every fantasy-based D&D game has them, even if they're just in the background. Sci-fi settings will have the cantina owner; modern settings will have the bartender - they're everywhere in our TTRPGs. Tavern owners have even become something of a phenomenon on apps like TikTok (at least, among D&D enthusiasts on the app) where people have created their own fantasy taverns to cater to "adventurers passing through" (viewers scrolling by.)
Personally, I don't really dive too much into the creation of tavern owners, but I feel as though I could in some of my games, which is why I wanted to write about them a little. This is a blog post just as much as it is a brainstorming exercise for me. This concept is not new, by any means, but if you let it, it can bring so much life to your game. Especially if your players are going to be frequenting a lot of taverns or, perhaps, purchasing one that will certainly need some kind of manager.
Function / Motivations
When you think of a tavern owner in D&D, what do you think of? What is their purpose? I can think of two major ones:
- Quest-Giver / Local Resource: These tavern owners have a job for the PCs and / or they know about local gossip and news. If there's something going on in town or something weird nearby, these guys probably know something about it - even if they're just rumors. They also have rooms available for the PCs while they're in town.
- Ally: This can take several forms, and it can encompass everything I just said, but it can also go further. Maybe the tavern owner is a former adventurer or war veteran. If a fight breaks out, they could be helpful. If the party needs an ally in a pinch, then perhaps this person is one of the first they go to. They could also have access to extra adventuring supplies - rope, rations, potions, and whatever else.
However, this isn't all they have to be. Depending on where a specific tavern may be located and how many other taverns are in the city, things might be different. If the tavern is located in an area that is notoriously "shady," then the owner might fall less under the "ally" category. In fact, they may be a hindrance to the players unless bribed or blackmailed in some way. A tavern owner's "ally status" if you will may also have to be earned through completing quests or helping the owner with certain tasks.
Personality is also important for any memorable NPC. Is this tavern owner particularly stingy? Particularly friendly? Do they have a strange quirk or feature? Does the name of their tavern have a particular meaning? I once created a tavern owned by a small adventuring group. The group was made up of reflections of my PCs - adventurers with the same race and class, similar backgrounds, but with notable differences in appearance and certain backstory details. There were three PCs and so there were three NPCs. The tavern they owned was called "Three of a Kind." I like the idea of tavern owners having some kind of tiny backstory, even if that backstory is simply: "My spouse and I opened this tavern together after we got married. It was our dream" or "I loved the tavern that used to be here, but the owner died. So, I bought the place and kept it alive."
Primary motivation for tavern owners should be, in my opinion, running their business. Unless, of course, the tavern is a front for something else like a black market or crime ring. Or, perhaps, the tavern is some kind of ruse and maybe the beloved tavern owner of the party's regular drinking spot is secretly the villain. In that case, the business should be the least of their worries! How a tavern looks upon entry, I think, is a great indicator of how much effort the owners put in. Is the bar clean? Is there some kind of specific décor on the wall, referencing heroes of old? Military regalia, maybe? Is the tavern warm and inviting? Are there spiderwebs and rats in the corners? Are the chairs and tables in disrepair? All of this could key your party into the type of person who owns this bar.
Secondary motivations may vary. I think a lot of that depends on how a DM wants to integrate the tavern owner into their game and the personality of that tavern owner. No tavern owner has to be the same - they shouldn't be! That's what makes the world feel so alive. Some secondary motivations could include:
- Helping adventurers on their journeys
- Perfecting a certain recipe.
- Being the best tavern in the city, especially better than That One Tavern that used to be run by an old friend-turned-rival.
- Collecting as many interesting recipes for food and drink as possible. This tavern owner probably offers quests for the intrepid party to do such things.
- Covering up a crime family's illicit activities to protect their family. Maybe the party gets them out of that situation.
Why Should I Include This?
Well, chances are, you're going to anyway. Like I said, taverns and tavern owners are staples in D&D. Take this opportunity to make your world feel a little more alive. Let the people in your world feel more like people. If your adventures aren't going to take your players to many taverns, then don't build up the tavern owners all that much. You may not need it. Still, it never hurts to have a general idea of what they're like.
I like the idea of a party walking into a tavern and asking that question they always ask - "Is there anyone interesting in the tavern tonight?" - and replying with, "Actually, one of the people who stands out most to you is the bartender." That will send them walking in the direction of the bar... right to their quest-giver, right to a potential new friend, and right to the plot hook.
Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/8T5UAV6KkZA
