TEXT: 100 Descriptors for Nondescript NPCs
  By definition, urban settings in fantasy role-
  playing games (RPGs) are filled with people. 
  Generally, only a handful of the non-player 
  characters (NPCs) in a given city are likely 
  to be sought by the heroes, so the remaining 
  inhabitants are reduced to “generic townsfolk” 
  status. 
  There is nothing inherently wrong with generic 
  townsfolk living in an RPG setting. Having 
  prominent NPCs quickly enter the story helps 
  the players distinguish between NPCs who are 
  clearly to be part of the story and the nameless 
  NPCs who won’t. It also helps the players avoid 
  wasting time and energy on an NPC that won’t 
  be able to further the plot.
  But it is important to remember that the 
  background details make an RPG setting more 
  believable to players, and having such details on 
  hand - even if the players never ask for them - is 
  part of being a well-prepared dungeon master 
  (DM).
  The following list of physical and behavioral 
  descriptors was compiled so that a DM can 
  provide better physical descriptions of generic 
  folk with a handful of percentile rolls. Whether 
  in response to a hero stopping passerby to ask 
  questions or just to provide better background 
  imagery when describing a street scene.
  Roll percentile dice to determine that the 
  NPC...
  Has missing or crooked teeth
  1. 
  Walks with a limp
  2. 
  Is unusually short
  3. 
  Is unshaven
  4. 
  Has a pet ferret
  5. 
  Gestures often when talking
  6. 
  Has unkempt hair or beard
  7. 
  Has freckles or moles
  8. 
  Is blind
  9. 
  Has a pot belly
  10. 
  Wheezes when breathing
  11. 
  Wears an unusual hat
  12. 
  Has a pet ferret
  13. 
  Is deaf
  14. 
  Has hairy knuckles
  15. 
  Has a prominent, bulbous or hooked nose
  16. 
  Has watery eyes
  17. 
  Suffers from intestinal gas
  18. 
  Has an unusual eye color
  19. 
  Is exceptionally handsome or beautiful
  20. 
  Carries a sachet of fragrant herbs
  21. 
  Has breath heavy with the stench of garlic
  22. 
  Has a bandaged wound
  23. 
  Speaks very loudly
  24. 
  Is missing one or more fingers
  25. 
  Is gaunt or thin
  26. 
  Smells of manure
  27. 
  Talks to his or herself
  28. 
  Wears 
  well-made 
  or 
  finely-tailored 
  29. 
  clothing
  Carries a small pouch of sawdust for good 
  30. 
  luck
  Has ink stains on his or her hands
  31. 
  Frequently 
  interrupts 
  others 
  during 
  32. 
  conversation
  Smells of ale or malt
  33. 
  Likes to eat or is eating carrots
  34. 
  Is unusually tall
  35. 
  Sings or hums to his or herself
  36. 
  Tends to spit or drool while talking
  37. 
  Just had a bath
  38. 
  Has extremely bushy eyebrows
  39. 
  Has large ears
  40. 
  Wears a ring on every finger
  41. 
  Wears muddy footwear
  42. 
  Carries a small mirror, in which the NPC 
  43. 
  frequently checks his or her appearance
  Is balding or bald
  44. 
  Frequently chews mint leaves to freshen 
  45. 
  breath
  Wears a necklace or brooch bearing a 
  46. 
  religious symbol 
  Is pigeon-toed
  47. 
  Laughs easily and heartily
  48. 
  Is playing a musical instrument
  49. 
  Wears an old cloak, like those issued by the 
  50. 
  army
  Has fleas or lice
  51. 
  Is overweight
  52. 
  Is sweating profusely
  53. 
  Has perfect teeth
  54. 
  Wears simple or homespun clothing
  55. 
  Is barefoot
  56. 
  Wears perfume
  57. 
  Has calloused hands
  58. 
  Has bloodshot eyes
  59. 
  Obviously bites his or her fingernails
  60. 
  Has sores on his or her face or lips
  61. 
  Talks with a lisp or slurred speech
  62. 
  Has a severe cough
  63. 
  Whistles constantly
  64. 
  Wears mismatched clothing
  65. 
  Walks with military bearing
  66. 
  Has numerous, visible tattoos
  67. 
  Has one or more gold teeth
  68. 
  Wears hobnailed boots
  69. 
  Smells like fish
  70. 
  Has a fine pewter stein tied to his or her 
  71. 
  belt
  Is heavily muscled
  72. 
  Wears threadbare clothing
  73. 
  Carries a weapon of high quality
  74. 
  Has a thin layer of soot covering clothes 
  75. 
  and exposed skin
  Has several skin piercings or nose rings
  76. 
  Talks very quickly
  77. 
  Laughs nervously between sentences when 
  78. 
  speaking
  Smokes a clay pipe
  79. 
  Wears a backpack
  80. 
  Has profuse nose hair
  81. 
  Is sun tanned or sunburned
  82. 
  Carries a pet snake
  83. 
  Wears a dead rat around his or her neck to 
  84. 
  ward off evil spirits
  Talks to his or herself
  85. 
  Doesn’t seem to blink (at least not often, 
  86. 
  anyway)
  Cracks knuckles often
  87. 
  Sneezes 
  frequently 
  or 
  suffers 
  from 
  88. 
  allergies
  Has a high-pitched voice
  89. 
  Has ornately braided hair or beard
  90. 
  Grumbles to self
  91. 
  Has very long fingernails
  92. 
  Is bow-legged
  93. 
  Has a habit of picking his or her teeth with 
  94. 
  a knife
  Is very affectionate, and punctuates most 
  95. 
  conversations with hand-shaking, back-
  slapping and hugs
  Has sausage fingers
  96. 
  Likes to eat or is eating sardines
  97. 
  Has hives or a skin rash
  98. 
  Has full lips
  99. 
  Has visible bruises
  100. 
  Copyright 2009, the RPG Athenaeum
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Tables & Charts/NPCs/100-Descriptors-for-Nondescript-NPCs.pdf