Hi Mark

We did do Nightbreed (vs Dracula) on Lundy, although other groups have run there since and I 'm not sure what was their theme.

Caroline

Independend NPC groups with a dedicated GM or even a group of GMs. Two examples:

The flyer told the players (besides other things - the orcs were just a major sub-plot) about 'bands of orcs roaming the country'. So they exspected orcs - and there were some. In a camp - about 4km from the player camp, complete with a small pallisade, an improvised (but safe) lookout turret, chieftain and shaman hut, elderly orcs and even an orcish baby (doll). The orc camp had their own GMs, they could create their characters just the same way other players did - while some special characters (the chieftain, the shaman, the best hunter, ...) got extra points for creating their character but some guidelines as well. All got some background for the orcish tribe. The players never knew about the OutOfGame-location (or the InGame location) of the camp.

So when the game started, the orcs sent out their scouts - who were vanquished by the players. Additionally, two unarmed orcish females were found by the players and died under 'torture' whilst being asked for the location of their camp - which wasn't described correctly. A child accompanying the two females managed to escape unseen but witnessed the impromtu torture and death by those 'beastly pinkskins'. The chieftain and the shaman decided to go to war, sent out another scout party to locate the players - which managed to recon the player camp and assess the numbers and equipment. The players were a far superior enemy - so they changed to hit and run tactics. On one raid, they managed to capture a single player - who offered his help. And in the end this player fled with the elderly, the infirm, the females and the children - while the warriors and hunters of the tribe except for a small group kept harrassing the players, buying some time for the rest of the tribe.

The GMs did not play favours, everything happened during the game based on action and reaction. The GMs ruled - to keep some suspense - that the best possible escape route for the tribe was along a path very close to the players camp f.e. so both the monsters and the players had their chance to achieve their tactical 'goals' and the psychological rewards. Difficult, requires good communication - but manageable.

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In another game, the NPCs were mostly crewing the village as it seems - few monsters at all, many roles within the village community with several subplots. What the players did not know until after the game: there were two groups amongst the NPCs trying to achieve their own goal by their own means. Again, they created their characters just like a normal, starting player character (I remember two exceptions, the priest of the chapel and the leader of the other group, the hunter). While the players tried - among other things and led by 'normal' village inhabitants (actually represantatives of both groups) - to follow the plot, dealing with numerous tasks to collect parts of an item supposedly helping them against a Vampire Lord or something like that (pretty basic plot device) - both NPC groups tried to get the players working for their own goals. One group consisted of minions of said Vampire Lord who had no interest at all that the players should succeed - if nothing else could be done they should prepare to steal the artifact. The other group - some cultists - thought the artifact should belong to the one who had created it in the first place - their dark entity they secretly followed.

So while the players kept going on short quests to manage the tasks involved to get the neccessary parts of the artifact (which had been hidden by a group of paladins and knights ages ago, trying to dissolve the cultists - an information that could be found ingame) - both NPC groups tried to gain the most advantage and to achieve their goals. In the end, the players had to retreat, the Vampire Lord and his minions came to secure the artifact before it was completed - but were too late, the cultists already had fled with it. Luckily, the missing parts of the artifact rest in the hands of responsible characters - and led to another plot at the next con where the cultists tried to get hold of them.

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So yes, NPCs may have their secret agendas and goals - which may lead to a very satisfying game experience for both the NPCs and the players since the participans are more than just 'third bandit to the left' if they want to. They still can be 'orc No. 21', relying on the decisions of their leader - but they can also play an active role.

This concept works best with very basic and simple plots - since they tend to get complicated, anyways. It requires much preparation so the NPCs can improvise based on the given background - but since only the GMs know the whole truth they should be willing to stay into close contact with every group involved, sharing the current status of the situation and deciding where to introduce new plot devices to keep the main-plot going for everyone.