Welcome to the Dog Days of Podcasting, 2022 season. This year we’re taking part by creating 30 NPCs to use with table top gaming, writing projects, or other creative endeavors. These NPCs are system agnostic, but may include minor suggestions for how to run the characters with a party of adventures and explorers. They are written with a specific genre in mind, but will include notation for how to use them within at least two other realms.
That said, let’s get started.
Today, we’re visiting The Gruff Day, an NPC designed for Space Exploration campaigns.
The Gruff Day
XXII
The third sun’s ascent into the apex of the sky signaled the official midday quarter hour. It had been a hot one making the work that much harder, but it wasn’t meant to be easy doing things right. They were responsible for getting this complex ready for habitation, and they weren’t one to shirk their duties. This planet, like the many others they had been called to, demanded hard work, and they were going to give it their all. Their lot isn’t for a quest, it’s a ethic of worth. Their attentiveness will determine the safety of others and will be a bulwark against those who would renege promises of quality against the hunt for greater profit.
Danger need not come from exploring dark recesses of the cosmos. It need not come from starships fueled by the drums of war or machinations of tyrants. Often the danger is there because someone needs a home, and the universe is an uncaring thing that has no qualms with physics and environmental hazards harming the delicacy of life. Such are the thoughts that occupy the Gruff Day’s mindset. They know that their work is worth the effort, and a focus on protection over gentleness guides them.
They are not needlessly cruel, although their words can come across in that manner. But they know the danger of not following policies to every dotted I, or crossed T. Mistakes get made, seals break, people die.
The Gruff Day is a warning of an NPC. They can serve parties as a voice of caution, of concern. Even if others will not halt efforts, they will still be informed of the proper outfits, the tools needed, and the expertise required to get the job done properly. This route, they cannot be manipulated away from. Too much rides on keeping others safe and their incident rate low. Not because of bonuses, not for insurance, but for honest dedication to protection of lives.
In space faring days, they’re the supervisor on building habitats on distant worlds. They know the ins and outs of isolated facilities and could serve as a guide to keeping safe around them.
In modern day, they’re site managers for industrial construction. They may care about the profit of the job to keep the lights on for their company, but they won’t cut costs for the sake of the danger.
In fantasy, they’re the engineers of great machines and endless dungeons. Even powerful liches need skilled workers to put their vast networks of traps together.
The sun traverses the sky, and a cool gentle dawn gives way to midday heat. Those who work under a star’s hot embrace get done what must be done, but look forward to the respite that may come.
The audio portion of this episode is shared on a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Sounds and music are provided by Syrinscape’s Market Street 2076 Soundset. Please see the website for individual song and sound usage. The text for this episode is shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Have a good time with the character, and let me know if you use them for something.
Until tomorrow.