Counter intuitively, the one key thing I do not have in my NPC section is a list of ready-to-go names. Why? Because:
- I have names from the C&C Castle Keeper Screen in the Combat Section, and
- I use Knave 2e for a ton of random tables (Knave 2e is an excellent toolbox for any D&D-ish game).
Another useful NPC source: Castles & Crusades NPC Almanac Sketches. While I didn't print it out for my binder (it's freaking large), this is a great resource worth having. Like most C&C material, it's easily usable with any D&D-related game (particularly those in the OSR).
Okay, so what do I actually have in the binder?
Well, a touch of art of course. This one is by the ever-reliable Vigil Finlay.
- Namely, the Six Sages and...
- ... People to Meet.
And then last, but not least a few gems by Azukail Games. This fellow cranks out a ton of reasonably priced and useful random tables. These aren't bare bones tables. They give a bit of detail to get your Dungeon Master mind following. He makes things for just about every system you can think of and, if that isn't enough, many are system agnostic.
In my binder, I have:
Here is an example:Next up - Encounters!