Getting Players attached to NPCs

[artent]

I've found that the best way to get players involved with NPC's is to have the npc's be characters that the pc's would want to play.

Whenever I introduce clever rogue like individuals to my home players and indicate that they have a role > mook they tend to instantly adopt the NPC into their group, training and equiping said member if he shows interest. SO I would recomend making your npc be similer to a char idea one of your pc's has expressed great interest in playing...but more innocent and less skilled than the players.

[Pamela]

Your NPC could also be descended from outlanders as well. Whether as child, grandchild, etc is up to you. She could have been very close to this person, and ask them questions about their world from whatever number of years ago. Imagine a cleric being asked about a god now nonexistent describing the Time of Troubles to a Ravenloft native- or some other major historical event (assuming your outlanders are all from Faerun, of course).

She'd understand the party's sense of alienation in this world because of this relative, and if this relative is the same class as the person you're hoping to attract- or from the same country (or whatever other affiliations your PC had), it'll also encourage dialogue over comparisons.

[Undead Cabbage]

Awesome ideas, everyone. Llana, I especially like your idea, since it will immediately make the characters 'click' with her in a way they couldn't click with anyone native to RL.

And as far as names, Ammie looks to be the winner. (Thank you Jack of Tears)

You guys have really saved my butt, because otherwise I would have been worrying about this instead of other things (Your Bachelor of Science doesn't come easy, especially when trying to get into Vets school as well).

Many a thank you,

The Undead Cabbage

[Pamela]

Glad you liked. And also glad you were able to focus on much more important things!

Please keep us updated as to how it all goes.