Day 7 of my Adventure Calendar. For 24 days, up until Christmas, I plan to release a lil bit of RPG content. Want to join as well? Join the jam!
Image: Unsplash and Heroforge
So, you’re stocking your town: you got a blacksmith, tavern for drinks and rumors, lodging, healing, shop, guards. Let’s look at some other interesting NPC types you could add to this. Today: the Gravekeeper (previously: the Scribe).
Mortuary Services
Gravekeepers are responsible for preparing bodies for burial, which could prevent undead resurrection, or provide a blessing of sorts to players going through the effort to properly bury a fallen comrade (perhaps they get a share of their XP or gold, if it turns out they are mentioned in the will). Not recovering the bodies of the fallen might give the party a bad reputation, making it harder to find hirelings.
Information
Gravekeepers are a good first stop if you need to know who died of what, who visits the grave, and perhaps even some rumors about the living, as well.
Quests
Gravekeepers might have quests available to recover notable figures who died in faraway places and whose remains have never been recovered. Alternatively, they could even provide financial incentives to “encourage” certain individuals to fill a plot in the graveyard.
Spirit World
If your world has spiritual elements, the undertaker could facilitate communication with the departed.
Specialized Equipment
The undertaker might deal in unique magical items, like shrouds that protect against necromancy or amulets that keep spirits at bay.
Potion Ingredients
If your game involves alchemy or potion-making, they could sell rare ingredients that can only be harvested from the deceased.