NPCs

[Nom]

Keep in mind that as your player base grows, you will be constantly implementing new elements of antagonism. Never let your own NPC villains steal the show from the protagonists or take away storymaking opportunities from the players. Work with players, work against characters.

As a player, I have observed that NPCs (or characters that are perceived as NPCs) are often treated differently by players. Two symptoms of this:

• Words from NPCs are treated with more authority.
• Events that happen to NPCs (good or bad) are treated with less emotional response than events that happen to characters.

In short, there can sometimes be an undercurrent that such NPC characters are fundamentally different to PC chars - authoritative story props rather than real people.

Has anyone else noticed this? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?