I like to weave pre-written modules into my campaigns (parts of them, anyway). The different tones and ideas keep my players guessing and oftentimes end up becoming part of our lore. Case in point: when I threw Prison of the Hated Pretender into my longrunning campaign. I had previously run it as a one-shot when one of my players was unavailable. It ended in a TPK 🙄.

Being the benevolent GM that I am, I decided to bring my campaign party back to this setting and witness their one-shot character's dead, broken bodies. They also found out that the Pretender... HAS ESCAPED! In search of his crown, he immediately sought out... Black Jenny.

The Hated Pretender and Black Jenny are now NPCs in my world. From the module, we know Jenny's name; the name of her gang, and that she stole the crown of the Hated Pretender. Thus, I had to flesh her out a bit. This is what I came up with...

The Gang

Jenny's "sons" are neither boys nor related to her by blood. Street urchins with promise; she recruits them, trains them and puts them to work. All mentions of her Miscreant Sons are met with a collective groan from the girls. It is safer to pose as sons than daughters; so they look the other way... but hate it.

  • Black Jenny - road agent

    hd5(+2con); ac+2; at2d6(+2dex/0str): 2d6(+1 daggers)

    She has dark hair and black leather armor. A string of onyx gemstones around her neck. She wants to retire... in a black tower.

  • Natty - thief

    hd3; ac0; at1d6(+2dex/0str): 1d6(bow +1/daggers); lock picks/backstab;

    The oldest of the girls at 14, it's getting more and more difficult to play the role of a "son". She wears her long, red hair in a boys style; frumpy clothes and is quick to pick a pocket.

  • Lunara - alchemist

    hd3; ac0; at1d6: 1d6(+1 pistols/darts); ritual/lore

    She sports a blonde bowl cut and a tunic with multiple burn marks. Through rituals, she is able to concoct healing potions, gunpowder and an exploding paralysis potion. She wears a leather satchel full of glass vials.

  • Peregrine - ranger

    hd3(+2con); ac0; at1d6(+1str): bite/claws;

    She is a skin-walker and can shapeshift into a falcon. She has a number of tattoos and spiked, dark hair. She always attacks in falcon form.

Tactics

The gang will attempt to get an edge by having Peregrine drop a paralysis vial on targets. Those that remain moving will get the same potion via a dart from Lunara. Otherwise, they will turn to Natty's stealth or ability to obtain things...

#npcs #ttrpg