Big love and big hate to rival parties. Fuck all these guys tbh. Youll notice some consistencies in these and thats just because thats how I want em. Scale them up a level or something if there's less of em idk "balancing" for your game is your job. All the casters have at least one core spell but you could probably give them more. All of them have a reason theyre a problem. I didnt say d4 cuz you should choose the party/party members you think are coolest/fit best.
Might draw these later but I need to post this or ill never do it...
This is system neutral because:
A. I dont know what system youre playing
B. idk what your party is like.
C. Im a lazy piece of shit
1. The Bullhorn Company
Experienced: highly capable dungeoneers and will even reset traps if able.
Competitive: Will try to fuck you over in the dungeon as much as possible to get more loot.
Chuck - Leader of the group, 6'6 hairy mountain of a man, greedy but professional, fights with two 10-foot iron chains that he uses like a lasso or whip. occasionally breathes smoke out of his nose and has gold coins binding to some of the skin on his arms (he's turning into The Dragon). Friendly outside the dungeon and a violent sabatuer within. He is, at his core, completely devoid of empathy or even conceptualizing life outside of dungeoneering. Chuck generally starts off any combat by either disarming the most threatening weapon or triggering a trap with his chain, then wailing on them with his chains.
Maria - middle-aged white hand-witch nun, seemingly nonchalant. Will do medical favors for nonmedical favors. Implants a tiny, benign tumor into everyone she heals, which she can later make malignant with another healing spell. Genuinely loves Chuck as a friend and could even see herself leaving adventuring to settle down with him and enjoy the spoils of adventure in luxury. She also fantasizes about killing him for the things he has done. Chainsmoker for the sake of tumorfarming her own lungs, which she coughs up for her magic.
Twitch - Dog headed cynocephalus thief hireling, treated like a little brother by Chuck and a prized nephew by Maria outside the dungeon. Treated like an animal inside the dungeon. fast, brave and forgiving. Struggles with alcoholism.
Elbowgrease - A six eyed bull that pulls their wagon, only listens to chuck who spoils and diciplines him like a son. Stays at camp.
2. Jane's Party
Explorers: Values exploring the whole dungeon over material reward and will just blow up traps/puzzles/monsters in their way. This often means destroyed treasure, disturbed dungeon ecology, and rubble-filled passageways.
Nonviolent but Inconsiderate: Will be unlikely to do anything besides scare tactics or nonlethal fights with other parties, but will not change their ways or let anyone tell them what to do
Jane - Freespirited, pretentious, tattooed, and smelling strongly of herbs, gunpowder, and B.O. She loves dynamite and carries a truly hazardous amount on her at all times. Claims to hate her father, an incredibly powerful warlord, but still requests supplies from him and will eventually rule one of his conquered lands (Niv's village) as an "intentional community" (she even has the deed to the land on her person, signed to her name). If killed, a war band will try to hunt down her killer.
Niv - Incredible sniper, incredibly edgy. Uses a magic sling that generates a cold wind that smells of grave dirt and juniper, which blows towards whoever she is aiming at when she is winding up (she spends a turn to wind up). Her entire village was pillaged by Jane's father; she does not know that Jane is the daughter of the warlord who killed her village and could be convinced to kill her if she found out. Unclear if she is Jane's best friend or girlfriend (think early season 1 Euphoria Rue & Jules). Inappropriately menacing.
Boz - DILF with an almost comedically long moustache and a well-fitting hide outfit. Officially, he's there as an ostler, but he is also a 1st-level Mastermind (if you don't use these, essentially he's a genius that knows things most people wouldn't like picking out weaknesses/strengths or predicting outcomes). He is wise, mostly benevolent, and kind of salt of the earth, but also inappropriately flirty and prone to serenading crushes, even of rival parties. He has a gun loaded with one bullet on him at all times, but refuses to use it unless absolutely necessary. The animals will listen to him over anyone else.
St. Herb - a dog with an unbreakable grip. Thief and a bastard, loved by his companions. Joins the party half of the time.
Gentle Ocean - A beautiful two-tailed horse, very well behaved. Basically an angel if it were a horse. hates St Herb. Always at camp but can be called at a moment's notice.
Dunk Bitz - donkey with one eye. Always at camp.
3. Penitent Order of the Black Key
Mission: Take as many valuables from the dungeon as possible and then detonate it as quickly as possible
Compulsory: most Black Key members are unwilling "convict hirelings". Without the threat of their enforcers they will disband. However if they disobey they are likely to be exploded.
Sir Bai - a black robed war wizard monk, wears a sallet helmet and smells of soot and iron. Sold his face to an evil volcano spirit in order to see through fire and explosions in a 666 cbft area. Casts spells that make things flammable, inflammable, meltable, hydrophobic or explosive. Uses a seemingly infinite box of Cursed matches. Only infinite for him. Inflamable.
Empty - a man-sized hollow black bronze golem (artificial angel). Inhumanly strong and capable of storing things within themselves as a living bag of holding. Doesn't speak, but is sentient. Their footsteps sound like bells, and they occasionally "sing" (sounds like a singing bowl mixed with the sound a bottle makes when you blow into it). Their name is written on the inside of their stomach, and if it is defaced, they will violently explode, causing all nearby to become deaf and throw up. Often sent first into rooms or used as a shield. Inflamable. Loyal to Sir Bai.
Guisseppe - Bald, violent, shady, rough voice, covered in scars, and teetering on middle age. Convict hireling with a Suicide Squad-type situation. There's an undead white mouse stuffed in his right ear. If he dies or betrays his employers, the mouse will burrow into his nasal cavity, down his throat, and into his stomach. He will reanimate in 1d4 turns as a revenant controlled by his employer. Carries a big ol ram dao to look scary. Defacto kapo of the convict hirelings. Currently experiencing nicotine withdrawals. Meltable.
Pilo - Convict hireling, 16 years old, incredibly talented artist. Doesn't speak common but subtly vandalizes messages in the dungeon to help people out. Terrified of Sir Bai and Giuseppe, fascinated by Empty, and caring for his fellow hirelings. Explosive.
+ d6 other convict hirelings. Also explosive.
4. Witches of the Bunici Clan
Growing threat: The Bunicis will gain more control of the dungeon over time. Faster if the dungeon is already full of undead. Will even take special pleasure in resurrecting dead rival party members as more powerful or even intelligent undead.
Mama Bunici - Ancient and venerable necromancer. She is old-fashioned, cruel, and impossible to please. She is pushed around in a wheelchair by her zombified husband, Pietro and waited on by any undead servants she has collected in the dungeon. She is capable of commanding mindless undead but has grown weaker in age and cannot raise them herself, something that she resents in her daughter for being able to do. She needs to touch undead to convert them to her will. Thinks that something in the dungeon/wherever the adventure takes place can rebirth her, transfer her consciousness to her daughter, or make a breakthrough in a pursuit of lichdom. Ultimately wants to please/intimidate her own mother, a powerful lich. Adores Martina.
Lara Bunici - Eldest daughter of the Bunici clan, desperate for the acceptance of her mother. Her lack of confidence sets her back from being able to command undead but she is capable of astounding feats of ressurrection in both scale, creativity and complexity. Because her creations are out of her control however, they sometimes are to dangerous to be commanded by Mama in the initial resurrection.
Martina Bunici - Wrapped in scarves, Stuck a 11 year old vampire but only turned a year ago. Filled with bloodlust and questions. When the Bunicis need a strategic killing, Martina is the one to do it. Martina also enjoys grafting and combining dead creatures in the dungeon with extra limbs/features. Just starting to pick up basic necromancy but can only resurrect and control bugs.
+ any undead minions they pick up in the dungeon