Character creation: (mainly) NPC questions

[Nettle]

Hello, Mizaharians!

I've been writing Nettle's character sheet and her NPCs, but one of them has quite a large role in her story. This has surfaced a couple of problems that I'd like to ask your help with:

1. Can I assume that syphilis exists in Mizahar?

2. ... Because I've been thinking of making Nettle's mother have untreated syphilis that has progressed into general paresis, a nasty condition that slowly turns the patient mad before killing them within the span of a couple of years after the first symptoms. The characters won't know what's going on, though.

But doing this would mean that there should be subtle change in her mother's character over the course of time - first irritability and forgetfulness, then finally full-blown psychosis. The lore page says that stationary NPCs are unchanging - does this mean character development or only skills? And could I move her around the city in her everyday chores, making it possible for Nettle to randomly bump into her?

3. Can I remove the corresponding amount of money from Nettle's starting package if I wish her mother to have some belongings? She'd have access to them once her mother's senseless.

Where could I list all these items and their location? Storyteller's secrets?

[Alea Davenport]

1) I'm not sure, but I don't see why not. Mizaharans may or may not know it by that name, but that or a disease like it might very well exist.

2) I believe the unchanging-ness of NPCs refers mostly to skills and abilities. The idea is that the NPC should not be able to grow and gain experience in the way a PC can (because the spotlight for the story should be on the PCs). Also, an NPC is almost like a bonus advantage your character has, so the NPC rules are in place to limit the extra benefits you can get from them. But if the change in your NPC does not get you any extra advantage, I don't think there should be a problem with it.

Stationary NPCs just have to stay within the same city. They are free to move within that city. If you decide to travel however, they will not abandon their nice safe homes to follow you

3) As long as you track the items in your character sheet, that should be acceptable. I would list them in your possessions list, possibly in a section labelled as being for your mother. In game mechanics terms, they would technically be "your" possessions, so in game you can say they're your mothers, but in your CS you should track them in roughly the same place as the rest of your possessions.

Storyteller secret threads are only viewable by storytellers. You do not have access to them, even your own.

[Nettle]

Oh, thank you so much for your prompt and clear answer! You've been a big help: I feel like I understand things much better now. *bows, bows*