Create memorable NPCs through transformation
One sure-fire way to make your NPCs memorable is through transformation.
An age-old question: How do you make NPCs stand out for your players? How do you create NPCs that they’ll remember and talk about for years to come?
In my games, basic NPCs are often just names and a couple of keywords. If the NPC doesn’t play a major part in the narrative (or at least I don’t plan for them to), I don’t see the point in crafting elaborate backstories for every villager or thug. And, of course, not every NPC needs to be a literary masterpiece, some are there just to serve a simple purpose, like acting as a simple obstacle for the player characters.
But when I want to create an NPC whose story will really stick with the players, I rely on one of the most fundamental elements of storytelling: transformation.
At the heart of every good story is a character who changes, who goes through an interesting and emotional transformation. A farm boy becomes a king after world-shattering events. A once-heroic warrior turns into a coward after losing all his friends in battle. In a nutshell, a story unfolds when someone’s status or inner world changes fundamentally.
If you want to look at transformation from another angle, consider the player characters: transformation is also what makes them engaging and interesting. As they gain experience, their stats and abilities evolve, and their relationships with the world shift. They transform; they gain history, battle scars, and stories.
So, take a look at your NPCs and start a few character arcs. Change their status in a big way. Maybe a respected village elder is overthrown by mutineers, humiliated, and exiled. Or perhaps a member of a satanic cult has found God and seeks out the player characters for forgiveness after several years. I guarantee this approach will help you create memorable NPCs and character arcs.
To sum it up: Don’t let your NPCs and their statuses and inner worlds stay static. Put them through hell, then elevate them to the heavens, or the other way around. Whatever you do, make them transform.