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So the orc bard NPC was a little exotic and fun. Now having a band of orc dancing girls is just a step too far...
OK. So now you want to wing it. Something has happened a little askew or maybe you just think you can handle it on the fly. So now the players are saying they don't want to go down the dungeon, they want to investigate that little flavor text you read out about there being smoke to the south. What can you do? Well that's why stereotypes can be useful. Here you are with smoke to the south. Why can't it be orcs burning a village? Goblins roasting a captive dwarf? A baby dragon trying its breath out? After all, that's what they do!
Stereotypes are not your enemy. Sadly, there is a reason why there are stereotypes. It's because people and things act stereotypically! Yes! Not every person is a paragon of creative impulses. Not every person in New York is a butthead! Not every system of government is a total sham! Not every high powered lawyer craves money! Just over 90% of them do or are what the rest do and are. So go with it.
- Orcs raid and pillage.
- Goblins do the same, but are funnier to watch.
- Fairies frolic and twinkle.
- Dragons eat cows and burn people alive. (chromatic mainly…)
- Insane wizards build towers.
- Ancient ruins have magic items inside them.
- Adventurers that you don't know are known as mercenaries.
- NPCs that you don't see every day are known as flavor.
- And plots that follow the rules are known as safe and fun.
When you are winging it, it takes a little pressure of if everyone knows that the orcs stabbing the women and children with cleavers are bad guys, and not just ridding the world of a horrible village of doppelgangers seeking to cause an international incident by portraying orcs as bad and ruthless people.
And I state all this because I played with a new GM, and man did he try to turn the fantasy world on its head. There is no need for benevolent dragons that are allied with the peace loving gnoll nation against the evil halfling tyrants that have razed the world to ash with their gnome mercenary army and their dwarven high magic insane necromancer cabal…
For god's sake throw in drow when adventuring in the underdark. That's what they are there for!
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