Alliance Crossroads is dedicated to making every effort to reward our NPCs for their volunteerism, and to encourage repeat performances.  As the hardest-working players in the game, NPCs are a vital component to creating an immersive and exciting experience for PCs.

Alliance Crossroads compensates NPCs as follows:

Full Weekend NPC
36 + Hours: 200 GS + 1 Magic Item pick.
Bonus:  $25 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate IF pre-registered to attend.

Partial Weekend NPC
12-36 Hours: 100 GS
Less than 12 Hours: 30 GS

Faire Day NPC
100 GS

NPC Camp Cleanup
General Assist: 50 GS
Close NPC Camp: 150 GS

We strongly encourage new players to NPC their first few events in order to learn the rules system and also familiarize yourself with the variety of PC classes that can be played.  What better way to figure out what kind of character you’ll enjoy playing, than to actually play many characters within the space of one weekend?

The core NPC philosophy is a simple one: make the game fun.  Quite simply, we as the NPC team are there to entertain the PCs. What this means is that we need to be somewhat selfless and play our NPC parts not as our own characters, but as characters that belong to the game collective. This makes NPCing somewhat more restrictive because you do not have free will with your characters, but rather need to play them within the boundaries set by the staff.

Occasionally NPCs begin to develop a competitive mentality towards the player characters; this is the worst attitude a NPC can have! Remember that we as NPCs are there to help the PCs have fun, not to compete against them. Yes, in combats we want to make things difficult and perhaps even deadly, but we are never doing so for our own ends. We are doing so to further the enjoyment of the game by creating an immersive atmosphere that feels real.

Like any player, NPCs are expected to have a working knowledge of the rules.  Alliance Crossroads holds new player training sessions twice per event that you should attend if you are unsure about any of the rules, or could just use a brush-up and helpful advice.  Furthermore, you can always feel free to ask the staff about any questions that you have regarding the rules; the staff is here to help everyone have the best game experience possible!

One of the greatest things about being an NPC is that you get to play roles you would never be able to play as a PC. This requires a lot of acting range from the NPCs. Costume, makeup and motivation are great starting points, but once you step into game you now have to make that character come alive.  If you are supposed to be fierce you have to act fierce.  If you are supposed to be scared, you have to act scared.  Worried about how to play your role?  Imagine a real-world scenario that’s similar to what you’re going to be doing, and then ask “What would I do in this situation?”  You’ll do just fine starting there!

Whenever you are given a part to play the monster marshal should be giving you a time limit for you to be in game, even if you are playing combat parts.  Sticking as close as possible to this time limit is essential for monster camp and the plot of the weekend to run smoothly.  You might not know what other encounters are planned for the day so it might not seem to you that time limits are important, however, the plot committee has a schedule for the day that they need to stick to.  Staying on schedule makes sure that the entire plot for the weekend that was written can be run on time.  So when you are given a time limit please stick to it.  This is particularly important for parts that are not intended for combat.  Remember to ask yourself if your assignment for your part has been filled and then leave game as soon as it has.

One of the big risks when it comes to NPCing is getting a sense of attachment to an NPC role that you are given.  This is very easy to do, because sometimes the roles are endearing or just plain fun!  The problem, however, with becoming personally attached to an NPC role is that you stop remembering the prime rule of NPCing: that we’re here to help the PCs have fun.  Always keep in mind that your NPC role is intended to enhance the game as a whole, rather than just helping you to have fun.  When you’re ready to strike out on your own, that’s when it’s time to make a PC and come into game as a player!
 
Always remember that as a NPC you are there to entertain the player characters.  Always act with the greatest respect for sportsmanship and the spirit of the rules.

Most of all: HAVE FUN!