a few recent npcs of mine

Hortos

An earth genasi becoming a paladin is in itself unusual, but that same paladin joining the Doomguard? At least in that respect, Hortos the swordspeaker certainly defies stereotype. No one but himself seems to know exactly how he found his strength of faith, his rock hard conviction, but the orderly, uncompromising fashion in which he promotes entropy has led more than a few strangers to mistake him for a Mercykiller. Hortos ignores the misguided comparison.
He spends most of his time in the forge. He crafts weapons, often for specific purposes. He loves his weapons deeply, he feels connected to their metal by birthright, he even talks to them, but he also embraces their destruction. This, in turn, is a microcosm for how he views the larger world.
Hortos, for all his silent, mountain-like demeanor, is a people-person and a lover of life, but this is in part precisely because all things must end. He often speaks of fate, of how everything has a purpose and when that purpose is fulfilled, like his precious weapons, there must be an end. He listens well and new aquaintances often find him inspiring, and indeed to most people he only lends encouragement.
If, on the other hand, you were to try and stop the natural consequences of fate, try to prolong life that should have ended, try to keep a city on one plane which should long ago have drifted to another, you are likely to encounter a coldly furious, earthy paladin, stroking a recently forged weapon with your name on it.

Szandor; aka Count Willibald the strange; aka Matchstick

Szandor has goals, he also has dreams, but these things change over time. Such as from yesterday to... around lunch yesterday. But don't you dare doubt the sincerity of his dedication nonetheless.
His belongings are few, most of his money being spent on drink and drugs and most nights spent in the gutter or someone else's home, but he owns an impressive nobleman's outfit which he keeps in a small bag of holding, often hidden in his underwear. When he wears the outfit he transforms - he becomes Count Willibald, sometimes known as "the strange", he has land and money, he enters uninvited the parties of the privileged and he laughs about the ludicrous needs and demands of peasants and poor. He doesn't really tranform, of course, and he doesn't really own much appart from his own hide, a pair of pants and whatever he can stuff them with, but despite his unusual origins he's aquired a knack for blending in.
Szandor fancies himself insane. He was once a Bleaker, entering the faction primarily out of a fascination with madness, but they eventually convinced him that maybe it wasn't for him. He wanted them to lock him up, treat him, but he was too sane for treatment, or at least so they told him. He eventually joined the Xiaositects. No reason.
Cagers who know him usually refer to him as "Matchstick", a name likely to be related to his fiery genasi hair and thin frame. Some say there's a story, some say there are several, some leave it at that. He is often found walking proudly among the rich or sneaking around back alleys looking for a quick fix.

five Githzerai revolutionaries

I haven't decided on any names for the crew as of yet, but I'll look over the Githzerai at some point in the future and see if I can see any trends. Will, for the timebeing, refer to them by their nicknames.

Holy Man

A practitioner of the sacred art of theft, seemingly younger in body than in mind. Meditative and strong of will, he aquired the name Holy Man from the "holy man look" he would give any berk that accused him of stealing.
Having left his home in Limbo at early puberty, Sigil has become more home than home itself. Childhood dreams of seeing the world ended with a childhood reality of having to watch his back and fight for his food. Lives primarily on a diet of food that's been thrown away or, at times, stolen.

Pipes

Player of an instrument crafted far away from unknown materials, taken to a different plane and modified, then further tweaked later still. How it found its way to him is irrelevant, but since then the instrument has been his life.
It is clearly magical, but the magic seems to have no other function than to create the sound it makes, a sound usually somewhere between a double bass and a digeridoo, but that may be because Pipes likes it that way, because he seems to be able to change the sound a great deal if he wishes. He plays by stroking the strings and tickling the body of the instrument.
He left Limbo for the sake of his art, but having left it cannot help but being nostalgic. Pipes is often found playing his instrument and performing spoken word poetry at the basement tavern where Holy Man initially found him.

Thorns

Originally known as Three-horns, for his haircut, it eventually got shortened to Thorns. A veteran of the Githzerai / Githyanki conflict who found his way into the group upon sustaining injury and travelling to Sigil while resting for future attacks.
He has long encouraged a more violent approach and, above all, more focus on the weakening of their constant enemies, the Githyanki. Often the muscle of the group, he has lead them on hit and runs, teleportation drive-bys, on the Astral more than once.

Cuffs

Cuffs has morals. He is educated, he uses big words, but above all he pleads for some decency. Nothing is truly achieved if passion for the goal blinds you to the methods one uses to achieve it. A theorist, first and foremost, of much reading and little action.
He often serves as a limiting force within the group and frequently preaches. Perhaps even more so than Pipes, Cuffs' heart is still stuck in Limbo.

Fleet

Fleet is fast, Fleet is loyal, but fleet has a problem with panicking under stress and with unnamed fears hidden under a thin veil of strength. Naive and often guilty of too much enthusiasm, he is often forced into a sort of "little brother" role within the group.

That's it for now. The colouring is hasted and pragmatic at best, but I hope it works. Might add some more at another time if there's any interest, a crew of Githyanki among other things.